Stuff You Missed in History Class

Episodes

Jun 06 2020

This 2018 episode connects to a lot of others in our archive. Ida B. Wells-Barnett fought against lynching for decades, at a time when it wasn't common at all for a woman, especially a woman of color, to become such a prominent journalist and a speaker. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 05 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about the evolution of Monterey's Cannery Row and the history behind the fictional podcast Tumanbay. Their discussion then turns to current events, the death of George Floyd and the protests around the nation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 03 2020

First, a brief discussion of current events. Then, in a conversation recorded in mid-May, Holly speaks with the creator of the historical fiction podcast Tumanbay about the ways that researching the Mamluk culture shaped the show. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 01 2020

Monterey's Cannery Row is a busy center of tourism, but the area's history starts with indigenous people. Its association with fishing came from immigrant populations, and its reputation as a cannery exploded as that business was imploding. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 30 2020

This 2014 episode covers the 250,000 children in the U.S. taken to new families by train from 1854 and 1929, about. Except ... they weren't called "orphan trains" at the time, the children weren't all orphans, and "family" didn't always factor into it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 29 2020

Tracy and Holly talk about their experiences with home economics in school, and discuss theories about childcare as it relates to practice baby programs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 27 2020

Practice babies were live human babies, cared for by college seniors who were temporarily living in home ec practice houses. The babies mostly came from orphanages or child welfare agencies, and were usually adopted after their time in the program. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 25 2020

For a time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture had a whole bureau of home economics, which was run by and for women, and was a huge part of the response to crises like the Great Depression and World War II. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 23 2020

A 2013 episode about Phineas Gage, who experienced a catastrophic brain injury and survived - though altered - for more than 11 years. Over time, he became one of the world's most famous case studies in how damage to the brain can affect behavior. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 22 2020

Holly and Tracy ponder the psychology of a lifetime of deception, and discuss the complex nature of the Boers' position in their conflict with Great Britain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 20 2020

After Duquesne made it to the U.S., he started a whole new life for himself, and worked for the rest of his life as a journalist, saboteur and spy. But eventually, all those lies caught up to him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 18 2020

Duquesne changed his life story to suit his needs, worked under an estimated 40 aliases, and lived a life that directly involves a LOT of significant historical events. One of the things Duquesne excelled at was escaping custody. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 16 2020

Dipping back to a 2015 episode. Despite all the fun cartoons on the packaging featuring tiny humanoid sea creatures having wacky fun and wearing clothes, Sea Monkeys are just brine shrimp. But the story of Sea Monkeys and their inventor is actually pretty surprising -- and quite dark. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 13 2020

In 1893, President Grover Cleveland noticed a rough spot on the roof of his mouth. This turned into a medical situation and led to a daring surgery that was kept secret from the public for decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 11 2020

Beekeeping as you might think of it today, with square hives and and a beekeeper in a white suit with a big veiled hat, is a relatively recent invention. But beekeeping has existed for thousands of years, basically all over the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 09 2020

This 2016 episode covers John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, which set out to create an armed revolution of emancipated slaves. Instead, it became a tipping point leading to the U.S. Civil War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 08 2020

Tracy and Holly talk about Asoka and connections to pop culture, and the revelations of Catherine the Great's devotion to the arts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 06 2020

Catherine the Great is famous for many things. But one of her lesser-known areas of interest was opera. And she loved it as both audience and creator. She wrote a number of operas during her reign, many of which were comedic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 04 2020

Aśoka ruled the Mauryan Empire on the Indian subcontinent in the third century BCE. He was a real person – and is also a legendary figure within Buddhism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 02 2020

This 2017 episode covered the beginnings of the Kentucky Derby. Since its inception, the Derby has become the nation's most famous and prestigious horse racing event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 01 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about their relationships with emergency medicine and 9-1-1, as well as their appreciation for medical professionals. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 29 2020

In this second part of our coverage of emergency care in the U.S., we’ll talk about an important white paper that was a turning point for emergency medicine, the advent of the 9-1-1 service, and the ambulance service that set the model for all others. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 27 2020

In this first episode of a two-parter, we’ll be covering early emergency response services, a little bit of CPR history, and advent of the emergency care specialty for physicians. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 25 2020

Flashback to 2014! British Royal Navy lieutenant and artist Norman Wilkinson is usually credited with the idea of disruptive camouflage. But, another man, naturalist John Graham Kerr, claimed that he had the idea three years earlier. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

The second 2013 episode in the story of the Haunted Mansion going from concept to fully-realized theme park attraction covers the reboot the team went through after the World's Fair and the loss of their leader. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This hist fave is from 2013. One of the most iconic Disney park attractions -- the Haunted Mansion -- had a development process that was anything but smooth. Budget and scheduling issues and creative differences dogged the project for almost two decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

In 2017 we talked about two children, green in color, who appeared in Suffolk, England in the 12th century,. The green children were written about in the 12th and 13th centuries as fact, but some people today classify as this tale as folklore. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This 2016 episode delves into Michelangelo's sculpture of Mary holding the deceased body of Christ. It's the most famous depiction of that moment in art, but that scene has been the focus of many works. And once, the famous version took a trip across the ocean. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

We talked about Gorey in 2017. Based just on his art, you might imagine Edward Gorey as a dour Englishman, with the peak of his career sometime in the 1920s or '30s, whose childhood was marked with a series of tragic deaths. But Gorey was none of these things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This 2018 episode is about Christine de Pizan who wrote verse, military manuals, and treatises on war, peace and the just governance of a nation. She was the official biographer of King Charles V of France and wrote the only popular piece in praise of Joan of Arc that was penned during her lifetime. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This 2018 episode tells Levi's story, which is historically interesting because it touches on a lot of important moments in U.S. history. His business was tied to the California Gold Rush, the U.S. Civil War and American clothing culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This 2017 episode covers the Australian Kellerman, who gets a lot of the credit for developing the women's one-piece bathing suit. But she was also a competitive swimmer, as well as a vaudeville and film star who designed her own mermaid costumes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

This summer 2014 rerun features one ad company's wacky plan to actually dole out land deeds as part of a cereal promotion. How did they manage it? And was the land worth anything? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

Another 2017 fave! In the late 18th century, Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler, also known as the Ladies of Llangollen, abandoned their life in the upper tiers of Irish society and made a home for themselves in Wales. And they became rather famous in the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2020

Tracy and Holly discuss their favorite parts of this week's Unearthed! episodes, as well as the way that our current situation causes the unearthing of new information every day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 22 2020

In part two of Unearthed! in spring 2020, we're talking about edibles and potables, shipwrecks, books and letters, and other cool stuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 20 2020

In today’s episode, we have some stuff that was reported during the last couple of weeks of 2019, which missed the cut for the year-end Unearthed! episodes. Also, episode updates, crime, animals and games. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 18 2020

This 2011 episode from previous hosts Deblina and Sarah covers the time when Mexico was ruled by a Habsburg prince: Ferdinand Maximilian. While Maximilian was unwelcome, he upheld liberal reforms and modernized the government. As his support dwindled, Mexico's rightful president worked to take back the country. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 17 2020

Holly and Tracy discuss Carlota of Mexico and how that topic was chosen, as well as the many connections between subjects of history. Then, talk turns to the ways that we still benefit from Larrey's work today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 15 2020

While serving as a surgeon with Napoleon’s army in the 1790s, Larrey developed a system for getting wounded soldiers off the battlefield and into treatment. His dedication to providing care to anyone who needed it earned him the respect and admiration of France and its enemies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 13 2020

Charlotte and her husband Maximillian became the rulers of Mexico through a plan concocted by France's Napoleon III. But the strain of conflict there, and French finances being withdrawn, caused the empress' mental health to decline. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 11 2020

This 2016 episode delves into how industries and governments had a really weird preoccupation with protecting people from margarine way before it was made with the hydrogenated oils that led to its unhealthy reputation in more recent years. There's even bootlegging involved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 10 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about Annie Londonderry's cavalier relationship with the truth and the challenges of travel with the wrong clothes and bike. Then talk turns to a strange paper that Tracy read while researching rinderpest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 08 2020

The declaration that rinderpest had been eradicated was less than 10 years, but rinderpest’s history goes back much farther than that. And the process of eradicating the disease really illustrates how it took a coordinated, international effort to do it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 06 2020

Annie Londonderry gained fame for being the first woman cyclist to circumnavigate the globe. Sort of. In the 1890s, she DID circle the globe, but there are a LOT of inconsistencies in the details of her story, including why she did it in the first place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 04 2020

We're jumping back just a couple of years to an episode on Ignaz Semmelweis made a connection between hand hygiene and the prevention of childbed fever in the 19th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 03 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about selecting subjects for the show while living in strange times, and venture into talk about Emily Dickinson. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 01 2020

Ida Lewis lived most of her life fairly isolated on a tiny island off the coast Rhode Island. But it was a life she deeply loved. In her words, “I could not be contented elsewhere.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 30 2020

Tracy and Holly discuss what it feels like, as people who study history, to live through an event that you know will be historically significant. To all of our listeners: Please stay safe, and thank you for being part of the SYMHC family. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 28 2020

This 2014 episode coverts he 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, which killed somewhere between 20 million and 50 million people. Nobody cured it, or really successfully treated it. A fifth of the people in the world got the flu during the pandemic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 27 2020

Holly and Tracy discuss the advance casualness of recording entirely from home, as well as Max von Pettenkofer's psyche, and the fairly recent rise of the poison control hotline. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 25 2020

How did the U.S. get to the point of having this one resource, specifically for poisoning, that’s so reliable and available that it gets printed on the labels of consumer products? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 23 2020

Pettenkofer's ideas about how cholera spread weren’t exactly right, but they still had really beneficial impacts on the way we live. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 21 2020

In this 2010 episode, previous hosts Sarah and Deblina trace the life of Tagore through his childhood to knighthood and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 20 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about aspects of Zanzibari culture that Holly had not considered prior to this week's episode, and Tracy's rewatch of "A League of Their Own." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

In fall 2017, we talked about a strange cultural phenomenon. For a brief window from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, people in the United States were watching train wrecks for fun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

In 2017 we covered the offbeat life of Marchesa Luisa Casati. While many have admired heiress Casati over the years for her life led entirely based on her aesthetics, she was also entirely self-serving. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

In 2015, we talked about Franz Liszt, who was a pianist, a composer and a conductor, and basically the first rock star who drove fans into fits of swooning and screaming. Some fans even stole the detritus of his life (unfinished coffee, broken piano strings) to carry with them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

The second part of this offbeat revisit! As the New York Sun's series of astonishing moon discoveries concluded, most people recognized that it was a hoax. But what made people buy into the tall tale in the first place? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

This offbeat 2015 episode covers a series of 1835 news articles about some utterly mind-blowing discoveries made by Sir John Herschel about the lunar surface. The serial had everything: moon poppies, goat-like unicorns, lunar beavers and even bat people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

It's a 2019 show about urine! Spoiler alert: Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was trying to do something else: He thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

Back in 2014, we tackled SPAM's story. This famous Hormel Foods product was invented in the 1930s to make use of a surplus of shoulder meat from pigs. It played a huge role in WWII, and shaped the cuisines of many Pacific Island nations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

In October 2017, we talked about mysterious prints that looked like hoof marks appeared all over the English seaside county of Devon in February 1855. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

We continue out offbeat 2015 story. Once the effort to import hippos to the U.S. got the backing of a politician, two men with intertwined histories, Frederick Russel Burnham and Fritz Duquesne, were brought on board to serve as experts and advocates. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2020

An offbeat episode from 2015: In 1910, the U.S. a meat shortage, and a water hyacinth overgrowth problem. The obvious solution to the dilemma: Import hippos from Africa. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 18 2020

The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was founded in 1943, and it went on for years after WWII. These women were athletes, some of whom thought they were starting on a career in professional baseball. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 16 2020

Zanzibar is a relatively tiny place, but its place in history is significant, largely because of its geographical position. Its value as a trading port led it, over time, to be the location of what’s often called the shortest war in history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 14 2020

This 2011 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina covers an often-requested topic. Shakespeare is typically associated with cultural sophistication rather than violent bouts of near-anarchy. But this wasn't the case during the Astor Place Riot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 11 2020

Last time we talked about how diabetes has been described through history, including treatment before the development of insulin. Today, we’re telling the insulin part of the story, which was at times fraught and contentious. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 09 2020

To lead into discussing the discovery of insulin, today we have a history of diabetes and its treatment in the centuries before insulin was developed, including the starvation diets that were used in the years just before the discovery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 07 2020

This 2015 episode delves into how peanut butter got its name in the 18th century, but it's been around in some form for hundreds and hundreds of years. Its modern history features changes to the recipe and even a little litigation with the FDA. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 06 2020

Tracy and Holly discuss the ways in which the sexes were perceived during the time of Anna Morandi Manzolini and the aspects of Kemmler's story that made Holly very angry during research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 04 2020

After committing a brutal murder, William Kemmler was the first man to be put to death in the electric chair, at a time when a great deal of conflict and controversy swirled around the death penalty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 02 2020

In 18th-century Bologna, one of the most skilled and renowned anatomists and wax model makers was a woman named Anna Morandi Manzolini. Working first with her husband then on her own, Anna contributed to the medical and scientific fields immeasurably. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 29 2020

Today we revisit a 2013 episode about the Boston Massacre. That sounds like the slaughter of many innocents, but the reality is smaller and not nearly so one-sided. But there's a reason why we call it a massacre. And that reason is propaganda. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 28 2020

Holly and Tracy discuss the relationship between the Hemingway brothers and the challenges of claiming one's own island. Holly also shares her experiences spending an afternoon at the Atlanta History Center. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 26 2020

Holly was joined in the studio by historian Dr. Calinda Lee to talk about her work with the Atlanta History Center, and specifically the new exhibit "Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 24 2020

Leicester Hemingway's life was very much lived in the shadow of his brother. It isn’t until after Ernest Hemingway’s death that Leicester made his boldest moves in life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 22 2020

This 2015 episode revisits an event that was half performance for the British troops, and half actual sham. It led to an attack on Dover by the Pennacook tribe in 1689. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 21 2020

Holly and Tracy cover their experiences with croquet and historical stories that didn't fit into the episode, and then discuss the challenges in researching North America's indigenous nations histories when most narratives are written by white colonists. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 19 2020

King Philip’s War was an armed conflict primarily between English colonists and Indigenous nations in what’s now New England, although there were some Indigenous peoples who were allied with the colonists. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 17 2020

Croquet's origins are murky, but because of its relative ease of play and low barrier of entry, it went through a surge in popularity almost as soon as it was documented. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 15 2020

We're revisiting a 2015 episode, where Holly chats with archaeologists Patricia Capone and Diana Loren about Harvard's Indian College, the school's importance to Colonial history and the ongoing archaeology of Harvard Yard. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 14 2020

Tracy and Holly discuss the nuances of the Equal Rights Amendment's history, and the whaling industry that we discussed in the biography of Quaker Paul Cuffe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 12 2020

Cuffe protested taxation, built wealth for himself in whaling, became a Quaker and used his fortune for the betterment of others. He was also an advocate creating a colony in Africa that people of African ancestry could immigrate to in search of a new life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 10 2020

The first version of the equal right amendment was first proposed almost 100 years ago. This amendment has been through cycles of support and opposition, but one thing that’s held true is that the loudest voices on both sides have been women. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 08 2020

This 2017 episode delves into the story of the Jamaican Maroons. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Jamaica's Maroon communities clashed with British colonial government. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 07 2020

Holly and Tracy talk about George Sand's defiance against social convention, and the difficulty in discussing certain aspects of their most recent episode on activism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 05 2020

We've talked about sit-ins on the show before. This time, we’re looking at other -ins – direct action demonstrations and similar protests that have some similarities to the sit-in movement. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 03 2020

She was an incredibly famous writer of incredible output. Her behavior and personal style were almost as talked about as her novels, and these factors combined made her into a figure that was admired by many, despised by some, and completely fascinating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 01 2020

The Freedom Rides were happening at about the same time as the sit-in movement of the 1960s that we talked about this week – and involved some of the same people. Previous hosts Sarah and Deblina did two episodes on the Freedom Rides in the U.S. in September of 2011, and we’re playing them both together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 31 2020

Holly and Tracy discuss one of Caspar David Friedrich's paintings that wasn't part of the episode on him. They also discuss Tracy's experience in school not including the Greensboro sit-ins, and how that Woolworth's has become a museum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 30 2020

David W. Collins recently sat down for a conversation with Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez to talk about their Oscar-nominated songwriting work on "Frozen II" and their shared love of music. That two-part special episode will start next week, so be sure to subscribe to The Soundtrack Show wherever you listen so you don't miss it! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 29 2020

On Feb. 1, 1960, four students sat down at a segregated lunch counter at the F.W. Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina. It started with just four of them, but others joined, and sit-ins were taking place around the U.S. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 27 2020

Friedrich's painting career, most closely associated with the German romantic movement, continues to influence and inspire artists today. In his own time, his work was both lauded and controversial, and then fell out of favor for decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 25 2020

This is two 2010 classics from previous hosts Katie and Sarah, covering the relationship of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, the abdication crisis that resulted, and their sympathies for the Nazi party. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 24 2020

In today's casual Friday chat, Tracy and Holly discuss the Elgin marbles and the complex issues that museums face regarding the repatriation of artifacts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 22 2020

Today's episode covers how the removal of Ancient Greek artifacts from Greece by Lord Elgin played out, how these sculptures became part of the collection of the British Museum, and why the controversy over all this has continued until today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 20 2020

Starting in 1801, the Seventh Earl of Elgin removed many classical Greek sculptures from Greece, particularly from the Parthenon and other monuments at the Acropolis in Athens. Pt. 1 covers the events leading up to the early removal efforts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 18 2020

We’re revisiting a 2015 episode about the U.S. Ghost Army, a top-secret group assembled to create confusion and mislead Axis forces during WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 17 2020

Holly and Tracy discuss the great master gardener's work, delve into the moral implications of opulence, and weigh those against the value of the resulting art. They also discuss the nature of unconscious perception of others based on presentation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 15 2020

In part one, we talked about Le Nôtre's early years and his work at Vaux-le-Vicomte. Today, we'll pick up with his incredible achievements designing and executing the gardens of Versailles and his later life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 13 2020

Le Nôtre's work defined the French formal garden in the 17th century. Today in part one, we’re going to cover his life up to a project that was controversial not for Le Nôtre's part in it, but because of its implications for the property’s owner. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 11 2020

We're revisiting our 2015 episode on Hokusai, who lived during a time when there was not a lot of contact between Japan and the West. But even so, he drew some influence form Western art, and Western art was greatly influenced by his own work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 10 2020

On today's casual Friday talk, Tracy and Holly talk about the surprising level of recognition Joan Curran got from male contemporaries, war debris, and the skeevier aspects of the "Tale of Genji." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 08 2020

Murasaki Shikibu, sometimes known in English as Lady Murasaki, lived during Japan’s Heian period. She was a lady-in-waiting to Empress Shoshi, and is credited with writing the Japanese classic literature work, "Tale of Genji." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 06 2020

Curran was a Welsh scientist who developed a system of thwarting radar for the Allied forces in WWII. What we know of her work is entirely pieced together from accounts by her male colleagues, who, fortunately, recognized the importance of her contributions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 04 2020

This classic from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina explores the controversial life of Caravaggio. He may not be as well-known as Leonardo da Vinci, but this amazing painter has been receiving more and more attention in recent times. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 03 2020

In discussing this week's episodes, Tracy explains how she tracks news stories on her Unearthed! Pinterest board, and she and Holly theorize about why some topics have a lot of interest clustered in any given year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 01 2020

It’s part two of our year-end Unearthed! Today, we have some longtime listener favorites, including edibles and potables, Otzi, and exhumations. And some other stuff – beginning with several studies about what exactly caused the Neanderthals to die out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 30 2019

It’s time for the end-of-the-year edition of Unearthed! Today we have episode updates, books and letters, shipwrecks, and animal finds, among a few other categories. Next time we’ll have the edibles and potables, clothing and accessories, and exhumations, among others. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 28 2019

Haile Selassie wasn't just the last emperor of Ethiopia -- he is also hailed as a messiah. In this classic episode from 2011, previous hosts Deblina and Sarah explore the astonishing life of Haile Selassie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 27 2019

On this casual Friday chat, Tracy and Holly share their thoughts on the history of aspirin, as well as the amazing churches carved from stone in Ethiopia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 25 2019

The complex at Lalibela was excavated from volcanic rock about 700 years ago, and has been in continuous use since then. It's connected to the overall history of Christianity in Ethiopia -- different from Christianity in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 24 2019

Just a little Christmas Eve cheer for our listeners as everyone keeps an eye out for Santa! It's our 2017 episode about how NORAD started tracking Santa. There’s some myth-busting here, and maybe the tiniest bit of bah-humbug. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 23 2019

From its natural base substance, salicin, to the invention of its synthetic derivative form that we still use, the story of aspirin has its own controversy and conflict, including whether the proper chemist has been given credit for its invention. . Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 21 2019

This 2011 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina continues the bushranger discussion. After 1853, many bushrangers were native-born. Ben Hall seemed on track for a peaceful life until two wrongful arrests put him on different path. And then there's "Mad" Dan Morgan. who was known for meaningless murders, cruelty and violence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 20 2019

It's easy to marvel at the work of scientists, both in terms of the scientific concepts themselves and in the ways scientists behave. Both of those things, as well as foreign language verb tense, feature in this casual discussion of this week's episodes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 18 2019

Helium and humankind's understanding of it sits at the earliest intersection of astronomy and chemistry. The story of its discovery also features two scientists who were working on similar ideas concurrently, with a surprising outcome. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 16 2019

She was one of the greatest experimental physicists of her era, publishing influential papers before she was even out of graduate school. She made multiple major contributions to the field during her career, and became known as the Chinese Marie Curie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 14 2019

While Ned Kelly may be the most famous bushranger, he's certainly not the only one. Join previous hosts Deblina and Sarah as they explore the lives of early bush rangers in this 2011 classic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 13 2019

Tracy and Holly spend a few moments discussing the career of Alfred Wegener, and the needless tragedy of the events of the Italian Hall Disaster. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 11 2019

The Italian Hall disaster happened during a strike in Michigan’s copper country, which lasted from the summer of 1913 to the early spring of 1914. On Christmas Eve, a tragic event played out that claimed the lives of dozens of people in Calumet, Michigan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 09 2019

Alfred Wegener had a HUGE career outside of his ideas around what we now understand as plate tectonics, which had both detractors and supporters. He did important and respected work that touched on multiple disciplines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 07 2019

In 2011, previous hosts Sarah and Deblina talked about Ned Kelly, Australia's most famous bushranger. He became an outlaw in 1878, and his gang successfully conducted several raids. Now, many Australians think of him as a folk hero. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 06 2019

On today's casual chat, Tracy and Holly discuss their Texas tour, regional barbecue styles, and the holiday figures in the fourth installment of the Krampus and Friends Holiday Special. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 04 2019

Our holiday special is back! We're once again looking at holiday figures from around the world. Today, we’re going to have a mix of Scandinavian and Japanese traditions as we cover the nisse, the Yule Goat, and the Seven Lucky Gods. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 02 2019

In November, we toured Texas! So we selected the very apt topic of barbecue. Barbecue is deeply tied to language and history and culture, especially in the South – so this episode is about a lot more than meat. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 30 2019

This 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina covers John Wilkes Booth's escape, his co-conspirators' attacks against other officials, and the strange connections between Booth and Lincoln. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 29 2019

It's Chutz-POW! week! Tracy and Holly discuss some of the details about Frieda Belinfante's life that didn't make it into Monday's episode, and talk about the importance of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh's comic book project at a time when there are fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors living to tell their stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 27 2019

We're joined by three members of the team that works on the "Chutz-POW!" comic books series. Birdie Willis, Jackie Reese and Marcel Walker join Holly for discussions about Frieda Belinfante, using comics in education, and the future of this project. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 25 2019

Frieda Belinfante is inspiring as a musician, breaking gender barriers in becoming a conductor. She was also a member of the Dutch resistance, who risked her life again and again during WWII in defiance of the German occupation of the Netherlands. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 23 2019

Today we revisit a 2015 episode about Alice Roosevelt. The eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt was a firebrand who never shied away from the public eye. She was nicknamed "the Second Washington Monument" because of her social power, which she parlayed into political influence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 22 2019

Tracy and Holly talk about the episodes that made up this week's two-parter on the Occupation of Alcatraz, including how they learned about Native American history in elementary school. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 20 2019

The Occupation of Alcatraz started 50 years ago on November 20, 1969 and went on for a year and a half. Last time, we talked about context and the events that led up to the occupation. Today we'll cover how the occupation itself played out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 18 2019

This episode gives context for the Occupation of Alcatraz, including a brief survey of U.S. government policy toward Native people from the colonial period through the 1950. It also covers some Alcatraz history and an earlier occupation in 1964. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 17 2019

Holly and Tracy wanted to share a sample of the spinoff of Stuff You Missed in History Class: This Day in History Class. Every day, host Yves Jeffcoat brings listeners a small slice of history in a short-form episode. Today, we offer a sampling from Yves. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 16 2019

This 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina covers Johann Dippel. Originally a theology student, Dippel began dabbling in chemistry, medicine and alchemy. Today he's remembered for creating a panacea that was used on a variety of ailments. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 15 2019

Holly and Tracy talk casually about the week's episodes, featuring the photography career of Frances Johnston and the devastation of San Francisco in 1906. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 13 2019

On the morning of April 18, 1906, an event that lasted less than a minute changed San Francisco forever. An earthquake and a series of fires devastated much of the city and had long-term ramifications. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 11 2019

Fannie Johnston is tied to SO MANY people and events that we have talked about on the show before. She’s like a history nexus point. And she was able to make a very nice living for herself as a photographer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 09 2019

This 2014 episode came up recently because of the event's inclusion on a television show. "Black Wall Street" was a nickname for Greenwood, a vibrant suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was destroyed in a race riot in 1921. And while Greenwood's destruction was definitely the product of racial tensions, the event was much more one-sided. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 08 2019

This is a new feature for the show! On these Friday minisodes, Tracy and Holly will talk in more candid terms about the week's episodes and their research. This first one covers Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins and Dr. Couney's Baby Sideshow. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 06 2019

Couney ran incubator sideshows, featuring premature babies. This is complicated -Couney was making money from these attractions, and his medical experience was questionable. But at the same time, premature babies weren’t getting a lot of care otherwise. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 04 2019

England’s largest and deadliest set of witch trials were largely influenced by one man – Matthew Hopkins, who was known as the Witchfinder General, even though that doesn’t seem to have been an official title given to him in any sort of formal way. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 02 2019

Reaching back to a 2014 episode on Maria Tallchief, a Native American dancer who was the first grand ballerina of the United States. Through her partnership with famed choreographer George Balanchine, she helped shape ballet in America and served as an inspiration for artists from all backgrounds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 30 2019

In the 1860s, Mumler rose to fame as a photographer of spirits. Whether Mumler was earnest or was just fleecing people is a tricky question, in part because while evidence mounted against him, he always professed his innocence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 28 2019

The story of Zona Heaster Shue's death and subsequent appearances to her mother as an apparition are often referred to as the only case in the U.S. when a ghost’s testimony convicted a murderer. But of course, there’s a lot more to the story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 26 2019

This 2012 episode is from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. In the early 1760s, the so-called Cock Lane Ghost haunted a London home, communicating through knocks. The ghost accused her former partner of poisoning her. However, as more details emerged people wondered if the haunting was an act of earthly revenge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 23 2019

The Catacombs contain the bones of an estimated 6 to 7 million people. Their history is really two interconnected stories of mines and human remains, because in the 18th century, Paris was dealing with two huge problems simultaneously. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 21 2019

Murnau is most well known for directing the first vampire film, but the German-born creator went on to make a number of influential films before his early death. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 19 2019

We're revisiting a 2015 episode on a very fascinating corpse. Saponification is the process of turning to soap, and in certain conditions, cadavers do it. The Soap Lady is one of the most famous cases of an adipocere-covered corpse, but there are many like her. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 16 2019

Blue is the most popular color in many parts of the world, and it can seem like it's everywhere. . But many ancient languages didn’t have a word for blue, and some languages still don’t. This show was recorded live at a National Gallery of Art's NGA Nights event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 14 2019

Baret was the first woman known to circumnavigate the globe. But her experience wasn’t just about the travel – she was working, and her work took her to places that were totally unexpected for someone of her gender and economic class in the 18th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 12 2019

It's an unsettling 2012 episode! In the winter of 1873, Alferd Packer led gold prospectors into the Rockies, but harsh conditions soon set them off course. Packer was the only survivor, and he looked oddly well-fed. He claimed he'd killed in self-defense. But was he guilty of murder? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 09 2019

In this episode, we’ll go from the international agreement that prepared for a global airline industry up to the deregulation of U.S. commercial aviation in the late 1970s. And then we have a special guest -- John Hodgman came by the studio for a visit! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 07 2019

Since the possibility of air travel became a reality, many entrepreneurs were trying to figure out a way to make flight into a business. This first of two parts covers those early efforts, and the growth of the airline industry up to WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 05 2019

This 2014 episode covers attacks on women and children of Gevaudan in the 1760s, which sparked a huge push to hunt and kill the mystery beast behind them. While efforts to track the animal struggled, France was gripped in terror. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 02 2019

Some of the Chicago White Sox players confessed to taking a bribe to lose the 1919 World Series on purpose, but they never admitted to actually underplaying. And the collective memory about this whole scandal is very different from how it all played out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 30 2019

As promised in July, we have some Unearthed this fall! We've got past episode updates, cannonballs, things that are oldests and firsts, textiles, edibles and potables, and a little bit of creepy and eerie stuff at the end. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 28 2019

We're revising a 2014 episode today. In the late 1700s, medical colleges needed cadavers for educational dissection, but there were no legal means for obtaining them. This led to some unorthodox dealings in the acquiring of bodies, and brought New York to a fever pitch in 1788. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 25 2019

Holly sat down with Sarah Roberts, the Vice President of Goizueta Gardens and Living Collections at the Atlanta History Center, to talk about making history a living part of Atlanta's community culture. You can visit the Atlanta History Center's website here: https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 23 2019

Liston is most known for a tale about how multiple deaths resulted from one of his surgeries. But that means that his entire biography as a surgeon is dominated by the apocryphal events of one day. So today we’ll unpack his career and ethics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 21 2019

Today's classic from 2014 features Hetty Green. She was the wealthiest woman in the U.S., skilled when it came to amassing a fortune. But her eccentric behavior and miserly ways led to bad press and a less-than-flaterring nickname. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 18 2019

She was the Spanish empire’s most widely published poet of her time, and her work has survived until today, but not her own thoughts about much of her life. Consequently, her life, and her very complex poetry, has been really subject to interpretation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 16 2019

Venetian portraitist Carriera achieved a surprising level of success in the male-dominated European art world of the early 1700s. Her work helped popularize pastels and her portraits were commissioned by Europe's most prominent figures. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 14 2019

We're revisiting a 2013 episode about John Harvey Kellogg. His last name is famous for breakfast cereal, but was a 19th-century doctor with some unique (and groundbreaking) beliefs about health and wellness.His Battle Creek Sanitarium was home to anything but treatment as usual. The first episode of Modern Ruhles is now available. You can listen to it here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 11 2019

United Fruit Company was Guatemala’s largest employer and largest single landowner when the October Revolution took place. It also controlled the railroad, the port and the utilities. And it feared that the new government threatened its business interests. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 09 2019

The 1954 coup that overthrew the democratically elected president of Guatemala was orchestrated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Part one will outline the various influences leading up to the coup, including the involvement of United Fruit Company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 07 2019

Today's episode is a classic from November 2014. 1920, the S-5 left the Boston Navy Yard on its first mission, with a crew of 36 officers and enlisted men. While performing a crash dive as part of a performance evaluation, the crew found themselves on a sinking vessel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 04 2019

Anaxagoras and his work in unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos crossed the boundaries between philosophy and astronomy.. And it was, in many ways WAY ahead of its time – ahead enough that he was criminally charged for it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 02 2019

This case fed an already growing anti-Catholic movement in England in the 1860s. Additionally, it played on the shock of women being incredibly cruel to one another – something that was even used by the plaintiff’s legal team when speaking to the jury. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 31 2019

Today we revisit a 2015 episode about an international jailbreak! In the 1860s, a crew from the United States mounted a mission to Western Australia to rescue imprisoned members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood who had been imprisoned by Great Britain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 28 2019

Godey’s Lady’s Book was the most popular magazine in the U.S. in the middle of the 19th century. Although it’s most well-known for its hand-tinted fashion plates, its content included poetry, fiction, household tips, music, and etiquette. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 26 2019

In the 1600s, John Wilkins was planning out what he thought it would take for humans to travel to the moon. Wilkins managed to ride out a rocky time in England’s historycomfortably, and was well known; he appears in the diaries of Samuel Pepys. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 24 2019

Today we revisit a 2014 episode. Dr. Blackwell had no interest in medicine as a child. But she paved the way for women who came after her and changed the face of medicine in the U.S. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 21 2019

Benjamin Lay was a Quaker and a radical abolitionist who lived in the period between when the Religious Society of Friends began and when it started formally banning slave ownership among its members. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 19 2019

There are multiple contenders when it comes to the question of who invented the traffic light. This episode looks at a few of the moments in traffic light history that got us to where we are today, as well as what made them a necessity in the first place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 17 2019

Today we reach back to our 2015 episode on Diogenes of Sinope, the father of the Cynicism school of philosophy. He was also an incredibly eccentric figure who spoke out against pretense, and he used humor to convey his ideals Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 14 2019

We’re finishing out our two-parter on thalidomide. This episode covers the response, including criminal trials, changes to drug laws, and debates about the legality of abortion, and how this has continued to evolve for thalidomide survivors until today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 12 2019

Thalidomide has been described as the biggest man made medical disaster of all time. This first part covers what thalidomide is, the animal testing that lead its manufacturer to market it as safe, and its release into the market. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 10 2019

Today revisits a 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. After a childhood spent roaming Europe, Freya Stark began saving money to take Arabic lessons. Once fluent, she traveled into areas few outsiders had ever been, documenting her travels in best-selling books. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 07 2019

The Peterloo Massacre took place during a peaceful protest for parliamentary reform in Manchester, England. And there was a lot feeding into why people in Britain, and specifically in the region around Manchester, thought that reform was needed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 05 2019

When Robert Owen founded his utopian community, he wanted to have the best minds he could find running the educational system. He recruited William Maclure, who in turn brought many great minds with him. Their boat was nicknamed the Boatload of Knowledge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 03 2019

Today we revisit a fun 2014 episode. In the mid-20th century, one ad company had a wacky plan to actually dole out land deeds as part of a cereal promotion. How did they manage it? And was the land worth anything? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 31 2019

We did a live show for the Indiana Historical Society about the town of New Harmony, Indiana in the window from 1815-1827. In that period, two different communal societies occupied the town, one right after the other. But one was far more successful. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 29 2019

Part two of this year's Unearthed! in July features some longtime listener favorites like edibles, potables and of course shipwrecks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 27 2019

Today we revisit a 2013 episode. In the 1840s, Boston's West Roxbury suburb -- which was completely rural at the time -- was home to an experiment in transcendentalist utopian living: the Brook Farm community. The idea was to create an environment of balance and equality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 24 2019

It's time for the July edition of Unearthed! And this one is in two parts! Today, we have updates and connections to previous episodes. Then some things about Neanderthals and early humans, and the unearthed books, letters and works of art. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 22 2019

Harriot's story is tied to SO MANY other notable historic things, including a lot of business with Sir Walter Raleigh. He’s really not a household name like many of his contemporaries, even though he was neck-and-neck with them in terms of discoveries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 20 2019

Today we revisit a 2015 episode about French royalty. Much like many of the other mad royals that have been discussed on the podcast through the years, Charles IX of France was prone to fits of rage so intense that people at court feared for their lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 17 2019

This was the worst stateside disaster in the United States during World War II. Apart from being a horrific tragedy, the disaster itself and its aftermath were threaded through with racism and injustice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 15 2019

Despite ascending to power in a court filled with intrigue, juggling relations with Britain and France, and both likely having mental health conditions, the reign of Ferdinand VI of Spain and his wife Barbara was surprisingly stable. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 13 2019

Today we revisit an episode from 2017 about Ibn Battuta, whose 14th-century travels were extensive. He was away from home for roughly 24 years and during that time traveled through virtually every Muslim nation and territory, becoming the traveler of the age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 10 2019

Military history rarely focuses on the women who lived through conflict and worked on recovery efforts. This episode covers women who assisted troops, buried the dead, nursed the wounded, and managed to survive the fighting in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 08 2019

Thomas Cook and his son John Mason Cook were pioneers of the idea of a travel agency to manage tourist holidays. But Thomas Cook was initially motivated by his support of the temperance movement and his deeply held religious beliefs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 06 2019

This 2015 episode covers an event in 1944, when one of the most disastrous fires in U.S. history broke out during a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance. Dozens of lives were lost and hundreds of people were injured as the largest big top in the country was consumed by flames. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 03 2019

One of our biggest sources of information on Punt comes from Hatshepsut, who sent a huge expedition there in the 15th century B.C.E. The expedition to Punt is also an important and illustrative part of Hatshepsut’s reign. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 01 2019

In the 1920s and 1930s, Sylvia was famous for shaping up starlets, cementing the idea that Hollywood’s beauties were aspirational figures for the average woman. Many of Sylvia's ideas about fitness were totally sensible, but she could also be quite harsh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 29 2019

This episode reached back to 2015 for some LGBTQ history. In 1966, a restaurant in San Francisco's Tenderloin district was the site of a violent incident in LGBT history. After the riot, a grassroots effort grew to improve relationships between police and Tenderloin's transgender community. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 26 2019

Laurencin is a difficult painter to study. In addition to her work not quite falling in line with the artists who were her contemporaries, her personal papers are difficult to access, are censored, and have strict limitations put on their use. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 24 2019

The 1919 strike is the largest in Canada’s history, and shut Winnipeg down. While the strike started out as a simple labor dispute, there were many factors involved in how it played out, and a conspiracy theory that it was a communist uprising. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 22 2019

Today we revisit a fun episode from 2015. There was a time when Popsicle and Good Humor couldn't stop suing one another about frozen treats on sticks. Many legal battles were fought over milk fat, the shapes of the desserts and the definition of the word "sherbet." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 19 2019

After being forcibly admitted to a mental hospital by her husband, Elizabeth Packard began advocating for herself as well as the improvement of treatment in such facilities. After her release, she lobbied for reform to the asylum system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 17 2019

Elizabeth Packard’s marriage started out well, but soon, her questioning nature exploration of new ideas about religion led her husband to decide she was mentally ill. He had her forcibly committed to the Illinois State Asylum and Hospital for the Insane. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 15 2019

We're traveling back to 2011 for this one! Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, is often considered the public's "favorite" member of the Habsburgs. She only reluctantly carried out her duties, but her murder created an outcry across Europe -- and the story doesn't end there.v Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 12 2019

The P.S. General Slocum burned in the East River in New York on June 15, 1904. It had been chartered for a group outing that suddenly became a deadly maritime disaster. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 10 2019

Humans have recognized thyroid disease for thousands of years. But in the 1930s. Saul Hertz had an insight after hearing a physicist's lecture that changed the treatment of hyperthyroidism forever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 08 2019

In this 2010 episode, previous hosts Katie and Sarah look at Ludwig II of Bavaria. From his opulent, solitary dinners to the amazing Neuschwanstein Castle, it's no surprise that King Ludwig II was known as an eccentric. In fact, people thought he was mad. But why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 05 2019

Making basic pastes or doughs and frying them has been part of human civilization for centuries. From this, the doughnut eventually evolved, and also caused a number of heated debates along the way. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 03 2019

In the summer of 1919, a wave of racist violence played out in the U.S. In many ways, the violence of Red Summer was a response to (but NOT caused by) two earlier events: the Great Migration and the return of black soldiers who had fought in World War I. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 01 2019

Today we revisit a 2011 episode of the podcast. Lakshmi Bai was born into wealthy family in 1830, but she was far from the typical aristocrat. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the life and work of Lakshmi Bai, from her youth to her instrumental role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 29 2019

We’re coming up on the 350th anniversary of Pepys’ last diary entry, written May 31, 1669, so it seemed like a good time to take a closer look not just at the diary, but also at who Pepys was beyond his famous chronicle of life in 17th-century London. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 27 2019

For two weeks in 1919, the city of Limerick went on a labor strike. During that time, the strike committee managed the workings of the city, including food supplies, and it even began printing its own currency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 25 2019

Today, we're revisiting an episode from 2015! People feel very strongly about time capsules, even though the contents are often a little underwhelming. What actually qualifies as a time capsule, and what are some of the most notable ones? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 22 2019

When Arthur was selected as the Republican party’s vice presidential nominee in 1880, questions arose about whether he had been born in the United States and consequently whether he was eligible to be vice president at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 20 2019

In 1882 and 1883, decades before women had the right to vote, Julia Sand wrote a series of letters to President Chester A. Arthur that may have influenced his presidency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 18 2019

Today we're revisiting a 2010 episode from previous hosts Katie and Sarah. Born in 1838, Lili'uokalani became the queen of Hawaii in 1891. Unfortunately, she was destined to be Hawaii's last monarch. Listen in and learn how Hawaii became a state in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 15 2019

Julian was a medieval mystic who wrote down her visions, which she called showings. In this episode, we talk about her life in context of mysticism and how it fit into the context of Christianity in medieval Europe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 13 2019

When Godzilla first hit the big screen, there was no intention that it would launch a film franchise that would run for decades. Director Ishiro Honda intended to make a film warning of the dangers of nuclear testing and man's relationship with nature. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 11 2019

We're traveling back to 2010 to revisit this one from the archive! Born shortly after the appearance of Halley's comet over Hawai'i in 1758, Kamehameha was hailed as the king who would unite the Hawai'ian islands. But how did he turn this prophecy into reality, and what happened to him in the end? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 08 2019

Holly was lucky enough to chat with historian Stephanie Jones-Rogers, author of “They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South,” which pieces together details that add new understanding of slavery in the U.S. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 06 2019

Dr. Alice Hamilton was a trailblazer in science and medicine, and dedicated her life to improving the workplace standards for laborers in an effort to reduce illnesses that came from working with toxic chemicals. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 04 2019

We're going back to a 2016 episode today. In early modern London, there was a tradition of sorts where apprentices would amass on holidays and physically destroy brothels. One of the largest such riot took place during Easter week in 1668, and it was a complicated event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 01 2019

On May Day in 1517 a riot was carried out by apprentices, journeymen and other workers. While this was an uprising of laborers, this incident, called the Evil May-day or Ill May-day, was also rooted in immigration and xenophobia in Tudor London. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 29 2019

Spoiler alert: Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. And phosphorous is the first element whose discoverer we can name. But he was really trying to do something else: He thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 27 2019

We're revisiting an episode from Sarah and Deblina from 2011. Many think of alchemy as a fool's pursuit, but alchemy has a rich history closely tied to medicine and metallurgy. Additionally, techniques developed by alchemists strongly influenced chemistry. So why don't we call chemistry alchemy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2019

Holly had the privilege of sitting down with Stephanie Stebich, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, for a chat in the museum. The discussion covers the building's history, one of the new exhibits there, and one of Stephanie's favorite items in the Smithsonian's collection. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 22 2019

Fair was a contemporary of Levi Strauss, living and working in San Francisco around the same time as the denim magnate, but though Fair often appears on lists of the richest men in U.S. history, he doesn’t have the same name recognition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 20 2019

We're revisiting an episode from 2011 featuring previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. Born in 1527 to a Welsh family, John Dee grew to become one of Queen Elizabeth's most memorable advisors. Join Sarah and Deblina as they delve into the life and times of this scholar, statesman and sorcerer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 17 2019

Last time, we talked about the many reasons Virginia colonists were frustrated by the 1670s, including the price of tobacco, taxation, and disparities between the richest colonists and everyone else. But another issue actually sparked the rebellion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 15 2019

For a long time Bacon’s Rebellion was primarily interpreted as a precursor to the Revolutionary War, with patriotic colonists rising up against the tyranny of the British colonial government. But there are a lot more moving parts than that. This first part sets the scene and establishes the context of the rebellion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 13 2019

We're reaching back to 2011 for an episode from Sarah and Deblina about a woman scientist. The men who are usually credited with discerning DNA's structure won the Nobel Prize in 1962, but they used Rosalind Franklin's research. In 1952, she captured the best DNA image available at the time, and the Nobel winners used it without her knowledge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 10 2019

Holly recently got to visit the set of LAIKA's new film "Missing Link," and the production team there agreed to be part of an episode about the history of stop-motion animation. This made for a supersized episode with a regular discussion of the topic, plus interviews with four members of the LAIKA team. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 08 2019

Nopcsa lived an adventurous, scholarly life, funded entirely by his family money. He identified dinosaurs, inserted himself into Albanian politics, and wrote volumes and volumes of books and papers. But his life was not entirely charmed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 06 2019

Today we're traveling back to a episode from 2014 about the Battle of Hastings, which is often boiled it down to a sentence: The Normans invaded Britain in 1066, and their victory ended the Anglo-Saxon phase of English history. But of course, that brief description really doesn't do the event justice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 03 2019

The, founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America had an early life that’s somewhat surprising. But she was deeply interested in helping other from an early age, and when she learned about the scouting movement, she dedicated her life to it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 01 2019

Our April Fool’s Day story is the tale of an elaborate hoax. It starts with the Scythians and how their artifacts became highly prized in 19th century Europe, and ends with an artist who came into fame as a result of his part in a forgery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 30 2019

Today we're revisiting the 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina on Laura Bridgman, the first deafblind person to be educated -- a feat accomplished by Samuel Gridley Howe in the 1830s. People from around the world came to see her, including Charles Dickens, who wrote about her in his "American Travels." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 27 2019

Had his life had taken a different course, he may have become as widely known as Albert Einstein. In the 1930s, Majorana contributed to the field of quantum mechanics in ways that fundamentally shaped the field. And then he vanished. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 25 2019

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was part of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. The 6888th was the only battalion of black women from the U.S. to serve in Europe during World War II. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 23 2019

Today we revisit a 2015 episode about Emmy Noether pursued a career in mathematics in the early 20th century in Germany, despite many obstacles in her path. She became one of the most respected members of her field, and developed mathematical theory that's still important today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 20 2019

Comedian Fanny Brice's personal life was often a mess even though her onstage personas were all about laughter. Even as her beloved, Nick Arnstein, was in deep legal trouble, she supported him, started a family, and kept her career going. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 18 2019

Fanny made a space for herself on stage as a comedian because she felt she could never be pretty enough to be an actress. And her personal life was a complete roller coaster. But she remains the original funny girl, making awkward her brand from the time she was a teenager. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 16 2019

Today we revisit a 2014 episode about Caroline Herschel, who managed to break the barrier of women in scientific fields far earlier than you might suspect, in part because of her association with her brother, and in equal measure due to her steadfast dedication to her work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 13 2019

Sappho is described as the greatest female poet of ancient Greece. Or, the greatest Greek lyric poet, period. Her reputation as one of the world’s finest poets has persisted for more than 2500 years, but the overwhelming majority of her work has not. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 11 2019

Dr. Raphael Lemkin is often described as the person who coined the term “genocide.” And he did do that – but was also the driving force behind the existence of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 09 2019

Today we revisit a 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. Evliya Çelebi grew up in 17th century Istanbul as the "boon companion" of Sultan Murad IV. In his 20s, Evliya had a prophetic dream and spent decades traveling. During his travels he wrote the Seyahatname, one of history's important travel narratives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 06 2019

Ships were of course carrying cargo for centuries before the idea of carrying passengers in any sort of vacation sense existed. But once the Black Ball line decided to prioritize passenger comfort, the development of the cruise industry began. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 04 2019

Most of what we know about Olga comes from the Russian Primary Chronicle, also known as the Chronicle of Nestor or the Tale of Bygone Years. Some elements of the story may borrow more from legend than from history – it involves an elaborate, gruesome, very thorough revenge … and then a religious conversion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 02 2019

We're revisiting a 2015 episode about Katie Sandwina, who wowed crowds from an early age, first as a wrestling act and then exclusively as professional strongwoman. During a time when women's suffrage was a hot button issue, she cultivated an image of a perfectly feminine powerhouse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 27 2019

Alexandre Dumas wrote such classics as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, and both those books’ sequels, eight Marie Antoinette romances, and a BUNCH of other novels and plays. And essays. And travel books. And memoirs. And a dictionary of cuisine. Hundreds and hundreds of works. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 25 2019

General Dumas sounds like a character out of one of his son’s books. Because he pretty much was. His life is a series of dramatic and daring adventures, including an impressive rise up through the ranks of the French military. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 23 2019

Today's classic is a double feature! First, Katie and Sarah's look at Dr. John Snow's famous "ghost map" in 2009, and then the related work of nurse Mary Seacole in an episode from 2010. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 20 2019

After the discovery of hormones in the early 20th century, new methods of pregnancy testing were developed. Some of these involved animal use, but how did the rabbit test work, and when did it get replaced? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 18 2019

The story of vodka is one that’s closely tied to cultural identity for several countries, but where did it originate, and how did it evolve over time? We’ll talk a bit about how vodka is made, where it came from, and how it’s expanded to a global market. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 16 2019

We're revisiting an episode from 2014, where we discuss the legendary wardrobe of Marie-Antoinette. Where did all those glorious clothes come from? In large part, they were the work of Rose Bertin, a milliner who found herself the stylist to the queen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 13 2019

Paul Julius Reuter had a knack for filling in the gaps in communication systems, and make a lot of money doing so. And eventually, he managed to to turn Reuters - which he had named himself after - into the largest international news service in the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 11 2019

Jackson is most well known as the first black woman to become an engineer at NASA. But she also worked to clear the way for other underrepresented people at NASA, in particular black women. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 09 2019

We're looking back at an episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. She's one of Britain's best-loved queens, but Victoria's parentage made her an unlikely heir. When she became queen at 18, she rebelled from her upbringing. But an early marriage to her cousin Albert changed the way she lived and ruled. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 06 2019

The second part of our look at Gustave Eiffel's life picks up just after he closed down all business interests in South America, and leads into some of his most famous work, including the Statue of Liberty and the Parisian tower that bears his name. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 04 2019

Gustave Eiffel’s expertise in iron work was sought for projects throughout Europe and South America, and he worked on one of the most iconic structures in the U.S. His career is mostly an impressive series of successes, save one colossal scandal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 02 2019

This episode revisits a 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. A 1792 law prevented African Americans from taking up arms in the Civil War. As attitudes against blacks serving changed, black regiments were formed. But prejudices remained until the heroism of black soldiers won the attention of the nation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 30 2019

The Perdicaris kidnapping happened in Morocco in the early 20th century, but impacted American history significantly. It has been fictionalized in writing and film, but it is plenty dramatic all on its own. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 28 2019

This episode was inspired by the TV series "Outlander." The Regulator War, aka the War of the Regulation, aka the Regulator Movement, was a North Carolina event which arose in response to unfair taxes, poor representation and corruption. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 26 2019

This 2013 episode delves into a maritime history mystery. The Flannan Islands have been rumored for centuries to be haunted or have some supernatural darkness. In 1900, three men vanished from the lighthouse on Eilean Mor, leaving behind an unfinished meal and a mystery that's never been conclusively solved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 23 2019

Sushruta’s Compendium is one of the foundational texts of Ayurveda, India’s traditional system of medicine. He’s also known as the father of plastic surgery, and was writing about medicine and surgery at least 200 years before Hippocrates. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 21 2019

Not only was Teresa Carreño the most famous pianist of her day, she is considered to be Venezuela’s first international super star. And her personal life was just as compelling as her public persona. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 19 2019

This 2015 episode is all about pianist, composer and conductor Franz Liszt. He was basically the first rock star who drove fans into fits of swooning and screaming. Some fans even stole the detritus of his life (unfinished coffee, broken piano strings) to carry with them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 16 2019

Last time, we talked about Sojourner Truth's enslavement and how a religious vision after she was free led her to moving to New York City. Today, we’re picking up with another vision, which marked a huge shift in how she lived her life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 14 2019

Sojourner Truth was an abolitionist and women’s rights activist in the 19th century. But because a speech most famously associated with Truth is a version rewritten by someone else, she’s commonly imagined as a different person from who she actually was. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 12 2019

Today we're revising a 2013 episode about the Suquamish chief who is best remembered for a speech he gave upon discovering that Governor Stevens wanted land to build a railroad. However, the speech's origins are nebulous (and in some quotations completely fabricated). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 09 2019

In the first part of this two-parter, we covered ballet’s origins and early evolution. We left off with the founding of the Academie Royale de Musique, and the ways Jean-Baptiste Lully worked to ensure that his academy had as much prestige as possible. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 07 2019

For a long time, there was no formalized dance in western culture. Eventually, court performers in Europe were asked to also teach their audiences how to dance, blending the worlds of performance and social dancing, and creating a new art form. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 05 2019

In this classic 2010 episode of the Medici super series, Katie and Sarah follow up on the further adventures of Catherine de'Medici. Listen in and learn how the St. Bartholomew Day's massacre contributed to Catherine's notorious reputation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 02 2019

Wrapping up coverage of things found, discovered and dug up in 2018, this second in our two-part Unearthed! episode includes a little potpourri, edibles and potables, shipwrecks, exhumations and repatriations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 31 2018

It's time for Unearthed 2018, where we talk about the historical things discovered or dug up in the past year. Part one includes a bunch of research into human migration patterns, mummies, mass graves, and human sacrifices, among other things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 29 2018

Today we're revisiting a 2010 episode from Katie and Sarah about Catherine de' Medici, who remains the most famous female member of the Medici clan. Orphaned at a young age, Catherine survived struggles with childhood illness and eventually became the queen consort of France. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 26 2018

We’re taking a look at Francisco Franco and the Spanish Civil War. We've talked about Spain’s parliament voting to exhume the remains of dictator Francisco Franco and relocate them to a state-funded mausoleum, and we’re giving that entire situation more context. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 24 2018

We're taking a look at three creative works that have become staples of the Christmas season. All three of them have played a huge part in how people observe and celebrate Christmas in parts of the world, and they all have milestone birthdays this year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 22 2018

This episode revisits the story of Charles Dickens on tour, featuring previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. Dickens is best known for chronicling life in London, but he also wrote about the United States - and not in a flattering light. When touring the U.S. and Canada with his wife, Dickens found many American customs repugnant. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 19 2018

Bolden is often referred to as the first jazz performer, and his playing is legendary. But his life story, cluttered by lack of documentation and misinformation, played out tragically after his ascension to the apex of the New Orleans music scene. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 17 2018

Mary Stuart is one of history’s most memorable figures, with myriad compelling chapters in her life. The Babington Plot was a convoluted bit of intrigue that she’s tied to, and it ultimately led to her execution. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 15 2018

Today we revisit an episode from 2009 in preparation for a new episode coming this week about the Babington Plot. Although they were cousins, Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart had little in the way of familial affection. Previous hosts Katie and Sarah take a closer look at the infamous rivalry between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 12 2018

Museum Hack writer Hayley Milliman joins Holly to talk about the company's irreverent approach to getting people excited about history, and discusses the new book "Museum Hack's Guide To History's Fiercest Females." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 10 2018

Several times over the past few years, we’ve done an episode on something from U.S. history, and afterward we’ve gotten notes from listeners about the same thing happening in Canada – although this episode starts with one that’s the reverse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 08 2018

We're revisiting an episode from 2014: the Filles du Roi, or King's Daughters. While the building of a population in a new colony seems like a tricky endeavor, France's King Louis XIV launched a scheme to do just that by shipping eligible ladies to New France in the 1600s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 05 2018

Nell Donnelly Reed built a successful business starting before women even had the right to vote in the U.S. Her story combines fashion, education, workers’ health and safety, kidnapping, and marital scandal. She is, like any historical figure, complicated. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 03 2018

The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 is a strange piece of history, and it all centered around the boater hat. How did how the boater become so important to men’s fashion in the early 20th century? And how did that lead to a very bizarre conflict in the 1920s? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 01 2018

Today we're revisiting the life of Phylo T. Farnsworth, often called the "Father of Television." His initial idea for electronic television came to him as a teen. He's also become something of an icon representing the little guy -- he battled big business in in a patent suit. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 28 2018

Any chefs in our listening audience undoubtedly know about Auguste Escoffier, but people who haven’t studied cuisine may not realize that this one man revolutionized food preparation and restaurant dining in ways that are still part of almost any meal you may be served today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 26 2018

San Francisco’s cable cars are the last working system of their kind. The reason they haven’t been completely replaced by more modern modes of transportation is largely the advocacy of a woman named Friedel Klussmann. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 24 2018

We're revisiting an episode from 2014 about makeup, which has a rich and lengthy history that spans the globe and crosses cultures. From 10,000 B.C.E. to the 20th century, people have been using cosmetics to enhance their looks -- sometimes with unintended side effects. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 21 2018

There were four Mirabal sisters -- Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Dede. The sisters are national heroes in the Dominican Republic, but they weren’t very well-known elsewhere until 20 or so years ago when they became the subject of the historical novel “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 19 2018

This show, performed live at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, covers a brief overview of USO history, and then delves into Bob Hope's involvement with the organization, which started in the early 1940s and continued for 50 years. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 17 2018

Today we revisit our 2013 episode on Stede Bonnet, who left his family in 1717 and became a pirate. Despite having no seafaring experience, Bonnet's brief career as a pirate was eventful, including a stint aboard Blackbeard's ship and raids along the Atlantic coast of North America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 14 2018

Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte was the first Native American woman to earn a medical degree. She lived at a time when a lot of change was happening in the United States as a whole, and among Native Americans and the Omaha tribe she was part of specifically. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 12 2018

If you don’t know Dwight Frye by name, you’ve probably seen one or two of his performances. He was one of the lesser-known horror actors that helped make the genre Universal’s great success of the 1930s, but he also had a successful Broadway career. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 10 2018

Today we're revisiting one of our scariest episodes of all time, from 2013. From 1916 to about 1927, a strange epidemic spread around the world. It caused unusual symptoms, from drastic behavior changes to a deep, prolonged sleep that could last for months. Between 20 and 40 percent of people who caught the disease died. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 07 2018

Kristallnacht was a massive act of antisemitic violence that was named for the shards of glass left littering the streets in more than a thousand cities and towns in the German Reich. NOTE: This episode is not appropriate for young children. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 05 2018

From her college years, Chisolm was politically active. Her drive and desire to make positive change led her to many political firsts, including being the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 03 2018

We're traveling back to a 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina about catastrophic storms, which are almost historical characters in their own right, leaving indelible marks on the places they affect. Here, we cover five of history's most destructive storms, including the Tri-state Tornado of 1925 and the Great Hurricane of 1780. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 31 2018

For the west coast tour, Holly and Tracy talked about the fear of being buried, which reached a fever pitch in Europe and the U.S. from the 18th to the early 20th century. That fear led to some very interesting inventions as humans tried to ensure they wouldn't end up interred before their time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 29 2018

These are two entities with a number of similarities: They’re both women, often described as crones or hags, and there’s no clear origin point for either of them. But they’re very different as well. They come from different parts of the world. One has a scientific explanation; the other has a fantastical and colorful story that persists and has spread far beyond her origins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 27 2018

This 2011 episode from Sarah and Deblina features the Fox family, which began hearing strange noises in 1848, and sisters Maggie and Kate started communicating with spirits. They built a career as mediums, and today they're credited with launching the modern spiritualist movement. But was it all a hoax? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 24 2018

Among other things, Sir Walter Raleigh was a courtier, an explorer, a historian, a Member of Parliament and a soldier. He was part of England’s defense against the Spanish armada, as well the Tudor conquest of Ireland, some of which was truly horrifying. According to some people, he is now a ghost. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 22 2018

After TV producer David Levy adapted the cartoons of Charles Addams into "The Addams Family," Charlie's life changed in a number of ways. As Addams aged, he sort of settled down, but as with everything, he did so in his own unique way. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 20 2018

We're revisiting a 2010 Halloween episode from Sarah and Katie. Today, Franz Mesmer is hailed as the father of hypnosis. His original pursuit was called mesmerism, but what exactly was it? How did it (supposedly) work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 17 2018

Charles Addams was a compelling figure. He visited cemeteries for fun, he raced cars, he collected crossbows. But Addams surprised a lot of people in not being a an elusive proto-goth. He was a dapper, sociable, irreverent delight. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 15 2018

The sinking of the SS Princess Sophia was a massive tragedy for both Canada and the United States. But it was also really overshadowed by the end of World War I and the flu pandemic, so it’s been nicknamed the unknown Titanic of the West Coast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 13 2018

Today we revisit an episode from 2014. Before Charles Worth, the idea of ready made clothes for purchase didn't really exist. Neither did the idea of a design house that showed seasonal collections. This one man's vision invented the fashion industry as we know it today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 10 2018

This uninhabited Italian island that has come to be called all manner of scary things, including, “plague island,” “island of ghosts,” and “the Venetian island of no return,” among others. What's the real story on Poveglia? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 08 2018

Violet Paget, more often known by her pen name Vernon Lee, was a historian and an art and literary critic, and she wrote on myriad subjects including music, travel, aesthetics, psychology and economics. And she was well known for her ghost stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 06 2018

We're revisiting a 2013 tale of a witch trial. Decades before the Salem trials, an East Hampton woman was tried for witchcraft. Before Lion Gardiner's daughter died, she accused Goody Garlick of bewitching her. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 03 2018

We’re coming up on the centennial of the act of heroism that earned Alvin York the Medal of Honor. His name is known thanks to the 1941 film “Sergeant York,” but it takes a lot of liberties, and omits what he believed was his greatest accomplishment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 01 2018

Her story is often told in a sort of sloppy shorthand: She went to Los Angeles to become an actress, failed, and then became desperate. But that isn’t a really accurate picture of Peg Entwistle at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 29 2018

Today we're revisiting an episodefrom Sarah and Deblina about Mary Anning. She started hunting for fossils in Lyme Regis in the early 1800s. Around 1811, she uncovered the complete skeleton of an ichthyosaurus. She made several significant contributions to paleontology, so why didn't she always get credit for her work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 26 2018

In part two of this interview, Mindy busts some myths about women and their work in the Walt Disney Studio, and shares some stories of how new techniques were developed by color animators. The topic also turns to the 1941 labor strike at the Walt Disney Studios that forever changed the company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 24 2018

Mindy Johnson has spent years tracking down the stories of the women who shaped Walt Disney's life, and the success of the Walt Disney Studios. She contextualizes the lives and contributions of these women in the larger historical picture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 22 2018

Today we revisit a Sarah and Deblina episode from 2011. In 1872, the Equal Rights Party nominated Victoria Woodhull for president, but her radical views and an personal scandal caused her to lose many supporters. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina recount the life of the first woman to run for U.S. president. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 19 2018

Magnus Hirschfeld was a groundbreaking researcher into gender and sexuality in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work was dedicated to scientific study with the hope of dispelling stigma around homosexuality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 17 2018

Today we've got our live show from our recent East Coast tour, all about Anne Royall. She was a travel writer and a muckraking journalist way before Theodore Roosevelt coined that term, at a time when there were very few women doing either of those jobs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 15 2018

Today we revisit an episode from prior hosts Sarah and Deblina. Between in 1917, hundreds of women got jobs applying radium-treated paint to various products. Many experienced severe health problems. Five former workers decided to sue the U.S. Radium corporation, and faced a campaign of misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 12 2018

As Anne matured and her marriage fell apart, she continued to travel between the Arabian desert and England, always working to improve her horse breeding program. Eventually, she and Wilfrid separated, and her final years were devoted entirely to her horses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 10 2018

Anne was the daughter of Ada Lovelace (and the granddaughter of Lord Byron). While she was born into England’s aristocracy in the 19th century, her work breeding horses is what gives her life historical significance. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 08 2018

Today's episode revisits preacher John Humphrey Noyes founding the Oneida community in 1848. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the rise and fall of the Oneida community -- including its focus on shared labor, gender equality and free love. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 05 2018

Christine de Pizan is often described as a late-Medieval writer. But just “writer” does not really sum up everything she did. She wrote verse, military manuals, and treatises on war, peace and the just governance of a nation. She was the official biographer of King Charles V of France and wrote the only popular piece in praise of Joan of Arc that was penned during her lifetime. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 03 2018

We're delighted to have Anne Byrn back on the show to talk about her latest book, "American Cookie." Anne shares her vast knowledge of historical baking and how it fits into the cultural history of the U.S. in the form of small, portable treats. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 01 2018

We're revisiting part two of the Great Moon Hoax! As the New York Sun's series of astonishing moon discoveries concluded, most people recognized that it was a hoax. But what made people buy into the tall tale in the first place? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 29 2018

From hand fans to today’s high-end air conditioning technology, people have always found ways to deal with heat and humidity. And as mechanical cooling became more ubiquitous, some of the cultural practices for keeping cool were made obsolete. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 27 2018

In the late 1820s, north Georgia became the site of the first gold rush in the United States, predating the more famous California gold rush by two decades. It's also tied to some of the darkest parts of U.S. history regarding the treatment of Native Americans. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 25 2018

We're revisiting a silly two-parter from 2015. In August 1835, the New York Sun ran a series about some utterly mind-blowing discoveries made by Sir John Herschel about the lunar surface. The serial had everything: moon poppies, goat-like unicorns, lunar beavers and even bat people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 22 2018

Two cities, both named Nogales, were established, one on each side of the U.S.-Mexico border, after the Gadsden Purchase but before Arizona’s statehood. In the summer of 1918, ongoing tension led to a battle at the border between the two. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 20 2018

Mary Robinette Kowal’s work has inspired several episodes of the podcast. She has just written a pair of books that are called the Lady Astronaut duology, and Tracy got the chance to speak with Mary about her work and its historical settings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 18 2018

Today revisits an episode from Sarah and Deblina about Bessie Coleman, who dreamed of becoming a pilot. Because she was a black woman, no American flight schools would admit her. Despite the obstacles, Bessie managed to become the first African-American woman in the world to earn a pilot's license. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 15 2018

This is the studio version of our live show from this years Seneca Falls Convention Days at Women's Rights National Historical Park. Lucretia Mott was small of stature, but made a huge impact as an abolition and women's rights activist, guided by her deeply held Quaker beliefs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 13 2018

The word “riot” here is really a misnomer. This conflict wasn’t so much about property damage as it was about attacking people. It also wasn’t really about the zoot suits – although they had come to symbolize A LOT in Los Angeles when this happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 11 2018

Today's classic revisits an episode from Sarah and Deblina. Hedy Lamarr was an extraordinarily beautiful film star, but she wasn't just another pretty face. In this podcast, Sarah and Deblina recount Hedy's biography and her little-known career as an inventor. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 08 2018

Levi’s story is historically interesting because it touches on a lot of important moments in U.S. history. His business was tied to the California Gold Rush, the U.S. Civil War and American clothing culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 06 2018

We’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Amiens, near the end of World War I. Amiens was the start of what came to be known as the 100 Days Offensive, which was the Allies’ final push to win the war. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 04 2018

Today's episode revisits a Sarah and Deblina episode about historical hoaxes. For example, a N.Y. cigar maker once commissioned a gypsum skeleton to pass off as a 10-foot-tall petrified man called the Cardiff Giant. Join Deblina and Sarah as they explore the Cardiff Giant, Clever Hans, the Cottingley Fairies, Mary Toft's bunny births and David Wyrick and the the Newark Holy Stones. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 01 2018

John Quincy Adams probably comes to mind as the son of second U.S. President John Adams, and the 6th president of the U.S. But he and his wife, Louisa Catharine Johnson Adams worked in the realm of international diplomacy for years before his presidency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 30 2018

Continuing the 2018 mid-year edition of unearthed goodies, this episode will cover shipwrecks, exhumations, repatriations, and edibles and potables. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 28 2018

Today's show revisits a 2012 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam gave way, sending 20 million tons of water rushing toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The water swept up everything in its path, and it only took about 10 minutes to wash away Johnstown. But was nature solely to blame? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 25 2018

The July edition of Unearthed! is a two-parter this year. We’re breaking with tradition and starting with a few things that happened at the very end of 2017 but missed the cutoff for our 2017 episodes. We’ve also got some finds that institutions unearthed in their own collections, along with books and letters, beads, and some other things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 23 2018

Jason is back to talk about his follow-up to his book "Rejected Princesses." This one is called "Tough Mothers" and it's all about feisty, smart and surprising nurturers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 21 2018

The second installment of this Sarah and Deblina classic two-parter follows Gertrude Bell on her adventures after World War I begins. The British army asked her to help them retain their influence in the Middle East. But how did she get from there to helping found modern Iraq? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 18 2018

When Dred Scott v. Sandford was decided in 1857, the court decision ruled that enslaved Africans and their descendants weren’t and could never be citizens of the United States, whether they were free or not. But before that, Scott and his family had been free by a jury in 1850. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 16 2018

Dred Scott v. Sandford is one of the most notorious Supreme Court cases of all time. It wasn’t just about Dred Scott. It was also about his wife Harriet and their daughters Eliza and Lizzy. This episode covers Dred and Harriet, how they met, and what their lives were like before petitioning for their freedom in 1846. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 14 2018

This classic revisits an episode from Sarah and Deblina, talking about Gertrude Bell, the first woman to graduate with a First in Modern History from Oxford. Instead of marrying young, she went to Persia. Inspired, she traveled across the Middle East on numerous exploratory treks. But would it last in a time of war? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 11 2018

Libertalia, which, in truth, may be completely fictional, is called a pirate settlement, though the man who spearheaded it claimed he wasn't actually a pirate. And it was set up as a sort of utopia, where men governed themselves, and every man was equal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 09 2018

Annie Edson Taylor was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Taylor’s whole barrel trip was part of a much bigger story of daredevils at this natural wonder, which is tied to its industrialization and commercialization. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 07 2018

We're revisiting an episode from 2011 featuring previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. To recruit troops for the U.S. Civil War, the Federal Congress passed the Union Conscription Act in 1863, which drafted able-bodied men between the ages of 20 and 45. Needless to say, this didn't go over well in New York. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 04 2018

Emma Lazarus became one of the United States’ first successful Jewish American writers, moving in the New York literary scene of the late 1800s. She also wrote one of the most famous poems of ALL TIME, and even if you don’t know her name, odds are you know at least some of that work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 02 2018

Orchids date back millions of years. But in the 1800s, the plants became a status symbol and the cornerstone of a high-dollar industry. Collecting the plants involved adventure and excitement -- and a high death rate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 30 2018

This episode revisits the life of Dr. Virginia Apgar, who broke new ground in the fields of obstetrics and anesthesiology in the middle of the 20th century. When babies are born today, one of the tools doctors use to measure whether they're thriving on their own is the Apgar score. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 27 2018

We’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of one of the worst train wrecks in United States history. More than 100 people died. And even though it’s usually noted as the worst train wreck in American history, it was kind of a run-of-the-mill accident for the time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 25 2018

Today’s topic is a person who is sometimes called a 19th-century Rosa Parks. When Elizabeth boarded a horse-drawn streetcar in Manhattan in 1854, a chain of events began which became an important moment in the civil rights of New York's black citizens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 23 2018

Today's episode revisits a Sarah and Deblina episode that revisits a tale of incredible wealth. When emperor Mansa Musa went on a pilgramage from Timbuktu to Mecca, he gave away so much gold that he crashed the gold market in Cairo. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 20 2018

All six of today’s topics are mass evacuations of children and youth because of a war or other unrest, and include Kindertransport, Operation Pedro Pan, and Operation Babylift. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 18 2018

On June 30, 1908 at approximately 7:15am, the sky over Siberia lit up with what was described by witnesses as a massive fireball, or the sky engulfed in fire. For the last century, scientists have been trying to figure out exactly what happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 16 2018

This is a revisit of a Sarah and Deblina episode on Alan Turing, who conceived of computers decades before anyone was building one. He also acted as a top-secret code breaker during World War II. Despite his accomplishments, he was prosecuted as a homosexual by the British government. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 13 2018

Hurricane San Ciriaco struck Puerto Rico at a precarious point in its history. The United States had just taken possession of the island, and the 40 or so years leading up to the Spanish-American War had also been particularly tumultuous. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 11 2018

Eltinge was one of the highest-paid and most famous actors of the early 20th century, and acted alongside Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Rudolph Valentino. What made him famous was his skill at female impersonation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 09 2018

We're traveling back to a 2013 episode about Margery Kempe. Born in the 1300s, Margery had 14 children with her husband before dedicating her life to God. In her 40s, she began a vision-inspired pilgrimage to visit holy sites, and these travels became the basis for her spiritual autobiography. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 06 2018

Carmen Miranda is one of those historical figures who remains hugely iconic – we STILL see her image, or some derivative of it, on a regular basis. She was luminous on camera and an excellent singer, with a personality much larger than her small stature. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 04 2018

Ida B. Wells-Barnett connects to a lot of episodes in our archive. She fought against lynching for decades, at a time when it wasn’t common at all for a woman, especially a woman of color, to become such a prominent journalist and a speaker. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 02 2018

We're revisiting a yummy topic from 2013! There is actually some disagreement about the actual origin point of ice cream, but almost everyone agrees it's delicious. The real origin story is a culmination of many cultures and ingredients coming together to fill the need for a frosty treat. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 30 2018

Even as his career in comics was at its zenith, Winsor McCay continued to explore other business ventures for his art. He added vaudeville performances to his busy schedule, and then became an animation pioneer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 28 2018

McCay is credited as a pioneer in early animation. But before he made drawings come to life, he worked as a billboard artist, an artist-journalist, and then a comics creator for newspapers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 26 2018

Today we revisit an episode on the technology of yesteryear. Long before Czech playwright Karel Capek coined the term "robot" in his 1920 play "R.U.R.," mechanized creations - automata - were being created without electronics or computers. Many were simple, but they paved the way for the robots of today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 23 2018

James Whale created iconic films in the early half of the 20th century. He's one of the main reasons that Universal Pictures became synonymous with the horror genre. But his interests as a creator were far wider than creating gothic spook stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 21 2018

“Defenestrate” just means “to throw out of a window.” And apart from sounding like the punch line to a joke about Daleks … there has been a surprising amount of defenestration in Czech history. And almost all of it has been connected religious wars. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 19 2018

We're revisiting another episode from Sarah and Deblina., in which they talk about how the Brontë sisters quickly rose from obscurity to notoriety after their three novels were published under the Bell pseudonym. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 16 2018

In the 1890s, Frank Lenz started a bicycle tour around the world. He never finished, and his ultimate fate remains uncertain, though there are pretty solid clues indicating how he met his end. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 14 2018

The 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were segregated units for soldiers of Japanese descent that were created during WWII. The story of these units is closely intertwined with the Military Intelligence Service as well. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 12 2018

This classic revisits the Brontë sisters. They're considered some of the best writers of the 19th century but their past may surprise you. Join Sarah and Deblina as they discuss the sisters' childhood tragedies, unconventional educations and their imaginary worlds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 09 2018

Every carried out what’s been described as the most profitable and brutal pirate raid in history. It became a massive international incident, and Britain tried to repair its relationship with the Mughal Empire through a highly publicized series of trials. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 07 2018

Lotte was interested in silhouettes and paper cutting from the time she was a child. And she developed that interest into animation, and created the first feature-length animated film in the 1920s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 05 2018

Today's episode revisits the story of Jimmy Winkfield, who won the Kentucky Derby twice. When this podcast was published originally, he was the last African-American jockey to win the race. Winkfield moved abroad in 1904 to continue his career, but it wasn't until 2005 that Congress honored his work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 02 2018

The 1917 Bisbee Deportation has elements of a labor strike, a wartime hysteria, a vigilante mob, and a mass propaganda effort, all rolled into one. It took place in Bisbee, Arizona, southeast of Tucson and close to the U.S. border with Mexico. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 30 2018

Mohenjo Daro is in the Indus river valley in present-day southern Pakistan. This ancient city has a unique identity in that we don’t know a lot about the people who lived there; most of the ideas of the cultural identity come from analysis of its ruins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 28 2018

Ambrose Bierce was a soldier, a journalist, an editor, a satirist and a philosopher. He was a complicated man with an unwavering moral code and a life of experiences both fantastic and horrific, which informed his writing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 25 2018

Scott eventually managed to break into NASCAR racing, becoming the first black driver to do so. His career was a constant struggle, as he paid his own way and often had to be his own pit crew while competing against sponsored drivers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 23 2018

Wendell Scott was a black driver from the early days of NASCAR. After driving a taxi, working as a mechanic, and hauling moonshine, he started racing in the Dixie Circuit and other non-NASCAR races in Virginia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 21 2018

Apr 18 2018

Today, there is an entire industry around celebrity chefs. But the first celebrity chef in the western world's history was born in late 18th-century France. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 16 2018

The city of Ephesus fell under many different rulers throughout its history, as wars and shifting politics changed Asia Minor. For centuries, it endured, became a successful trade port, and was home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 14 2018

Today, we're going back to an episode about kitties in history! The human culture shift to an agricultural lifestyle started the domestication of animals. Cats naturally moved in to help with rodents. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 11 2018

Elbridge Gerry signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Gerrymandering is the drawing of political districts to give a particular party or group an advantage or disadvantage, and it's named after him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 09 2018

Brown was born into slavery and escaped in an astonishing way. His story of gaining his freedom was so sensational that he basically spent the rest of his life making a living talking about it in one form or another. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 07 2018

Today we're revisiting an episode from Sarah and Katie. Born in 1864, Nellie Bly wasn't your average journalist. She feigned insanity to gain entry into a mental institution. Join Sarah and Katie as they take a closer look at the life of Nellie Bly, America's original stunt journalist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 05 2018

The Battle of Cajamarca, also known as the Massacre of Cajamarca, ultimately led to the end of the Inka Empire. But it might have gone much differently had the Inka not just been through a massive epidemic and a civil war. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 02 2018

Great Britain's relationship with tea is part of its cultural identity. But before the mid-1800s, China was the only source of tea, which was a problem in the eyes of the East India Company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 31 2018

Today we're revisiting a talk with fashion historian April Calahan about the surprising ways that women of France protested German occupation during WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 28 2018

The Highland Clearances were a long, complicated, messy series of evictions in the Highlands and western Islands of Scotland, when tenant farmers were forced from their homes to make way for sheep pastures. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 26 2018

Carnegie was a child of poverty who became one of the richest men on Earth. But his life, while largely charmed, had a massive scar of bad judgment on it. He also decided that the most important thing he could do with his money was to give it away. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 24 2018

Today's show returns to Marian Anderson. An acclaimed contralto, Marian Anderson was barred from singing in Constitution Hall because of her race. The concert she sang at the Lincoln Memorial instead influenced a young Martin Luther King Jr. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 21 2018

Ignaz Semmelweis made a connection between hand hygiene and the prevention of childbed fever in the 19th century. He wasn’t taken seriously then, but today he’s known as everything from the father of infection control to the conqueror of childbed fever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2018

Born Constance Georgine Gore-Booth to a wealthy Protestant family, Constance Markievicz made a somewhat surprising transition to become a leader in the Irish Nationalist movement. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 17 2018

Today's show revisits one of the most pivotal events in modern Irish history. It was a precursor to a number of other events that have happened since then, both within and outside of Ireland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 14 2018

Cassie Chadwick (born Elizabeth Bigley) committed fraud at a level that would be almost impossible to pull off in today’s world of instant communication. Her biggest con was convincing banks that she was the illegitimate daughter of Andrew Carnegie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 12 2018

Leeuwenhoek wasn’t REALLY a scientist -- he had no formal training. But he made dozens of scientific discoveries. He’s credited with discovering microscopic life in a variety of forms, using lenses he ground himself. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 10 2018

This classic revisits the Luddite uprising -- protests in northern England, in which workers smashed machines in mills and factories. This wasn't the first organized violence against mechanization, but Luddites became iconic machine-breakers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 07 2018

Vasari was an artist and architect in 16th-century Italy. But what really made him famous was his writing. He penned biographies of famous artists, but he wasn't exactly exacting about the details. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 05 2018

Perceptions and interpretations of Phillis Wheatley's life and work have shifted since the 18th century. This episode examines Wheatley's published writing while enslaved, and how her place in the world of black literature rose, fell, and rose again. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 03 2018

We're revisiting the story of a a mysterious beast that trampled a woman in Arizona in 1883. First described as a demon, the creature turned out to be a camel. But what was it doing in the American Southwest in the first place? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 28 2018

The show's 1000th episode continues the story of Sadako Sasaki, who died of A-bomb sickness after the bombing of Hiroshima. This second part of her story focuses on the peace movement that grew out of her life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 26 2018

At the end of World War II, the United States used atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A young girl named Sadako Sasaki eventually developed A-bomb disease as a result of her exposure, and the origami crane became a symbol of her story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 24 2018

Today we're revisiting an episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. The Lone Ranger has traditionally been portrayed by white actors, but many believe this character is based on a former slave named Bass Reeves. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 21 2018

On February 21, 1918, the last known Carolina parakeet died at the Cincinnati Zoo. We examine the stories of this endling and two others to see how abundant species can quickly become extinct. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 19 2018

The story of the Menehune is one that's been handed down through oral history for generations. But can the roots of this mythological group of people be traced to real-world events? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 17 2018

This episode revisits the Villisca murders. In 1912, a small Iowa town was the scene of a chilling and brutal crime. Eight people were murdered in their beds by an assailant who has never been identified. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 14 2018

Gertrude Stein is an icon in the world of modernist literature. Alice B. Toklas is often described as her partner and assistant, but she was also published writer, and “assistant” really doesn't cover how important she was to Stein’s life and work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 12 2018

The battle over Prohibition is often framed as a battle of the sexes, with women serving as the “moral” voice of sobriety. But a woman named Pauline Sabin is often credited as being one of the major activists behind Prohibition’s repeal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 10 2018

This episode revisits the story of poet, philosopher and theologian Abelard, and his student Heloise. This is a tragic love story, complete with lovers forced apart, a secret marriage, a castration and repeated exhumations. Happy Valentine's Day! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 07 2018

Memphis sanitation workers stayed off the job starting January 12, 1968 in a strike that lasted for nine weeks. This was the strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis, Tennessee, where he was assassinated on April 4 of that year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 05 2018

This is often held up as one of history’s great love stories – Plutarch wrote that Pericles kissed Aspasia every single day. And that’s very sweet and romantic, but their high-profile relationship was central to a key period in Greek history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 03 2018

Today's classics revisits an episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina about James Armistead. He was a slave in Virginia, but got his master's approval to enlist when the Revolutionary War came. Armistead worked as a spy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 31 2018

Mary-Russel Ferrell Colton was a painter, author and educator. But she's most famous for co-founding of the Museum of Northern Arizona and related programs and projects intended to preserve and continue the art traditions of the Colorado Plateau. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 29 2018

At a time when many women sought husbands to ensure financial stability, Anne Lister was looking for a wife. She was also writing thousands of pages of diaries, including sections written in code about her relationships. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 27 2018

Today we're visiting an episode from past hosts Katie and Sarah. When the philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg sought mechanical explanations for nature, he found himself struggling with his faith as he searched for evidence of the human soul. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 24 2018

In the 8th century, a document was written that had a lasting impact on the course of medieval Europe. The Donation of Constantine granted a large amount of Roman Empire land and power to Pope Sylvester I and his successors. It was a fake. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 22 2018

Griswold is most commonly known as Edgar Allan Poe's rival, and for creating negative characterizations of Poe that have endured more than a century. But his life story beyond his connections to Poe is worthy of examination on its own. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 20 2018

Today’s classic podcast comes to us from previous hosts Katie and Sarah. Coming up on January 22, 2018 is the 230th birthday of George Gordon, Lord Byron. Who was this poet, and why is he associated with so many historical figures? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 17 2018

In 1898, a mob of armed white men enacted a violent plan against Wilmington, North Carolina’s black community. It was the only known successful coup d’état in U.S. history; the white mob overthrew the duly elected government of Wilmington. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 15 2018

Resistance to post-Civil War reconstruction efforts, hotly contested elections, political corruption, and open racism all led to a climate of unrest and white supremacist violence in late 19th-century Wilmington, North Carolina. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 13 2018

This classic episode revisits the Phoenicians, great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they're most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 10 2018

Tuberculosis is often thought of as a disease of the past, but it remains a problem in many parts of the world. Microbiologist and author Kathryn Lougheed joins Holly for a discussion of TB’s long history and the need to address it in the modern age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 08 2018

We have talked before on the show about pioneers who advanced the medical field specifically as it relates to infants, and today’s subject is definitely another to add to that list. But, there are some problematic elements to her story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 06 2018

Today we're revisiting the life of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, who was a chemist, biologist, geologist, physiologist, and economist. But at the end of the day, he's most often referred to as the father of modern chemistry. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 03 2018

In part two of our annual recap, we walk through what's been literally and figuratively unearthed in 2017, including things institutions found in their own collections, exhumations, repatriations, and edibles and potables. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 01 2018

In our annual recap, we walk through what's been literally and figuratively unearthed in 2017, including anticlimactic headlines, shipwrecks, medical finds, and a collection we've nicknamed "We told you so." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 30 2017

Today's classic episode revisits Sophie Blanchard, a timid girl who grew into a trailblazer, and became famous in the early 1800s as the first woman to become a career balloonist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 27 2017

Today, the U.S.S. Indianapolis is most known for its crew’s horrifying wait for rescue after being torpedoed following a secret mission at the end of World War II. But the ship’s history goes back much farther than that. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 25 2017

The story that circulates about how NORAD started tracking Santa is pretty heart-warming, but doesn’t completely hold up. So there’s some myth-busting here, and maybe the tiniest bit of bah-humbug. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 23 2017

For Christmas, we're revisiting an episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. During the first Christmas of World War I, British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and celebrated the holiday together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 20 2017

The exploits of the Special Operations Executive are the stuff of legend. This episode continues to look at a few of the group's missions, and what became of the SOE after WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 18 2017

After the Germans invaded France in 1940, an idea sprouted in the highest levels of Great Britain's leadership. From that idea, the Special Operations Executive was born. And in many ways, it changed the way wars were fought forever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 16 2017

A revisit to an episode on fairly recent history: In 1988, the appointment of a hearing president at Gallaudet University sparked a protest that changed the course of both the school and deaf culture in America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 13 2017

Tasty treats associated with winter holidays - candy canes, wassail and gingerbread - have some slightly hazy origins, because the evidence of their histories was eaten. What do we actually know about these foods and their place in the holiday menu? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 11 2017

This episode features three unique women, all of whom are notable in their own way. The two things they have in common: They each have a surprising aspect to their stories, and they each have the name Belle. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 09 2017

We're revisiting an episode about settlers bringing animals and plants to Australia, including rabbits. The rabbit population exploded, and rabbit-controlling fences were started by the 1880s. Work on the State Barrier Fence began in 1901, and it's still maintained today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 06 2017

This small island off the west coast of Ireland recently became a film star, but Skellig Michael has a rich history all its own. An ancient monastery, lighthouses and the island's status as a bird sanctuary all make up its story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 04 2017

This installation of Six Impossible Episodes is a bit of a hodge podge, with several oft-requested topics. Included are Olive Yang, the Silent Parade of 1917, Glencoe Massacre, Marion Downs, Lena Himmelstein and the Great Windham Frog Fight of 1754. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 02 2017

Today, we're revisiting an episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina. The Halifax Explosion was one of history's worst man-made, non-nuclear explosions. The disaster killed about 2,000 people, and part of the city was completely leveled. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 29 2017

Despite the huge impact the Lumières made with their multi-function motion picture camera, they didn't stay in the movie business. Louis went back to photography, and Auguste took a very different path. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 27 2017

The Lumières are often associated with early film technology, but that wasn't the only area where they innovated. This first of two parts covers their early life, and how they went from a successful photography business into building a film camera. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 25 2017

Today we're revisiting a bit of Japanese history. Thanks to the pillow book of lady-in-waiting Sei Shonagon, we have a first-person account of court life in Heian Japan. It's a diary and essay collection that's thoroughly fascinating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 22 2017

In 1966, a mining disaster in Aberfan, Wales, killed 144 people. It was a completely preventable tragedy, but none of the victims were in the mine itself, and 116 of them were children. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 20 2017

Great Britain’s efforts to control southern Africa eventually led to war with the Zulu Kingdom. A brutal series of engagements claimed the lives of many British and Zulu soldiers, but Britain’s portrayal of events minimized poor leadership decisions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 18 2017

We're revisiting a classic episode, all about early strides in treating smallpox, which has been around longer than recorded history. Edward Jenner made great strides in eradicating it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 15 2017

In 1904, the Fort Shaw Indian School women’s basketball team spent four months at the St. Louis World’s Fair. The team performed mandolin recitals, literary recitations, demonstrations of gymnastics and calisthenics, and became World Champions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 13 2017

The Fort Shaw Indian School was part of a boarding school system designed to make Native American students conform to white culture. In a surprising twist, it also boasted a champion women’s basketball team. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 11 2017

Today's show revisits the story of a Chicago heiress who helped develop forensic investigation standards still in use today. Her most notable contribution to the field came in the form of tiny homicide dioramas. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 08 2017

In November 1917, guards at the Occoquan Workhouse assaulted and terrorized 33 women from the National Woman’s Party. They were serving sentences for charges like “obstructing sidewalk traffic” after peacefully protesting in front of the White House. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 06 2017

Even in its youth, Hollywood's rapidly growing film industry had a reputation for debauchery. When a high-profile director was murdered, it added to that image, and revealed that Taylor, like so many in Hollywood, had lots of secrets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 04 2017

This week, we're revisiting an episode from previous hosts! During World War II, the Nazi party did not tolerate dissent, but some Germans did attempt to resist Hitler's government including the White Rose, a secret resistance group. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 01 2017

Katharina von Bora, Marguerite d’Angoulême and Jeanne d’Albret all left their mark on the Reformation, but all in different ways. Each of them has a unique part in the battle over religious affiliation in 16th-century Europe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 30 2017

Carl Tanzler loved a woman, and his love for her continued long after her death. But whether she loved him back is a matter of dispute. Just the same, he removed her from her tomb so she could 'live' with him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 28 2017

Today, in honor of Halloween weekend, we're revisiting an episode about vampirism. Starting in the late 1700s and, small rural communities in New England were sometimes stricken with a panicked fear that the dead were feeding off the living. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 25 2017

Based just on his art, you might imagine Edward Gorey as a dour Englishman, with the peak of his career sometime in the 1920s or '30s, whose childhood was marked with a series of tragic deaths. But Gorey was none of these things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 23 2017

After a traumatic event, strange things began happening around Esther Cox. In the 1870s, Amherst, Nova Scotia was abuzz with theories as to whether the phenomena were the work of a poltergeist, strange electrical charges, or a hoax. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 21 2017

We're revisiting an episode from previous hosts! After Aaron Burr slew Alexander Hamilton in the duel of 1804, his legislative career was over. In March of 1805, Burr left the political sphere and moved west, but his story doesn't end there. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 18 2017

Aaron Burr's daughter was incredibly smart and very well educated. She also vanished without a trace as an adult, and her ultimate fate is still a matter of debate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 16 2017

Before there were superheroes, a Swiss teacher drew entertaining doodles for friends. As he developed his sketches into stories told with multiple captioned images, he inadvertently invented the first sequential art comics in the Western world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 14 2017

We're revisiting the second installment in the story of the Haunted Mansion. This one goes from concept to fully-realized theme park attraction and covers the reboot the team went through after the World's Fair and the loss of their leader. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 11 2017

In the 12th century, two children, green in color, appeared in Suffolk, England. The green children were written about in the 12th and 13th centuries as fact, but some people today classify as this tale as folklore. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 09 2017

Not only was he a star as an actor, he was famed for his use of makeup. He was passionate about completely transforming himself for each role, and was determined to keep his life off screen as private as possible. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 07 2017

This classic episode dives into one of the most iconic Disney park attractions -- the Haunted Mansion. Its development process that was anything but smooth. Budget and scheduling issues and creative differences dogged the project for two decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 04 2017

The loss of the U.S.S. Akron was the biggest single tragedy in aviation history at the time that it happened. But unless you’re an aviation or U.S. Navy history buff, you may not know much about this airborne aircraft carrier. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 02 2017

In February 1855, mysterious prints that looked like hoof marks appeared all over the English seaside county of Devon. But figuring out who or what made those prints is a puzzle that continues to befuddle people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 30 2017

The image of Johnny Appleseed walking around in rags, barefooted with a bindle, planting apple trees and moving on is actually pretty accurate. Join Holly and Tracy to learn how John Chapman struck out for the frontier and became an American legend. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 27 2017

Hernandez v. Texas addressed civil rights for Mexican Americans, was the first case to be argued before the Supreme Court by Mexican American attorneys, and set a new precedent in how the 14th Amendment was interpreted in terms of race and ethnicity. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 25 2017

For a brief window from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, people in the United States were watching train wrecks for fun. These staged spectacles would draw thousands and thousands of paying onlookers, but why exactly were they so popular? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 23 2017

We're revisiting the story of Dr. Livingstone as told by previous hosts! In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the adventures of Livingstone and Henry Stanley, the journalist who found Livingstone in Africa. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 20 2017

When we left off in part one, Emin Pasha had become governor of Equatoria in what's now South Sudan. But things took a dramatic turn in the 1880s, leading to Henry Morton Stanley mounting a relief expedition to go get him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 18 2017

Emin Pasha's story connects to so many other historical things, particularly in the context of both the Ottoman Empire and African history. First, we'll talk about his time in Albania and how he made his way to Africa and took a new name. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 16 2017

New theories have emerged that make it the right time to once again go back to an old favorite, the Voynich Manuscript. Since our Voynich Manuscript episode first published, the inscrutable book has been in the news a lot. What are the latest theories? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 13 2017

While many have admired heiress Casati over the years for her life led entirely based on her aesthetics, when you examine her biography, you find a woman who was incredibly selfish and was even described by close friends as megalomaniacal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 11 2017

When people say the Wright Brothers were first to fly, they're talking about a very particular set of circumstances. There are other contenders to the title of "first in flight," and each has their own compelling story and list of achievements. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 09 2017

We're revisiting the murder of Mary Ann Bickford on Oct. 27, 1845. Her paramour Albert J. Tirrell was eventually charged with murder. Tirrell hired Rufus Choate to defend him, and Choate claimed his client had episodes of somnambulism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 06 2017

As Louis XVI's time as king was less and less stable in the face of the French Revolution, Léonard stepped away from the royal family and into his own business ventures. But his loyalty to the crown would forever tie his fate to that of the nobility. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 04 2017

Marie Antoinette's hairdresser set the styles of France during King Louis XVI's reign. But when he first arrived in Paris, he had almost nothing. Just how did he manage such a meteoric rise? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 02 2017

We're revisiting the story of large numbers of emus making their way through Australia, severely damaging wheat farms. The military tried to help, but may have just made things worse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 30 2017

The story of the H.L. Hunley really begins with the Union blockade of the Confederacy during the Civil War, which was ordered less than a week after the fall of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 28 2017

The reason Emmett Till's murder played such a consequential role in the Civil Rights movement is because of choices of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. For more than 45 years after his murder, she continually worked to make sure he did not die in vain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 26 2017

This episode revisits the biggest shipping disaster in Cayman Islands history, in which 10 ships went down together one night in 1794. Why would so many ships be traveling so closely to one another, and how did they all end up in peril? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 23 2017

One man and his incredible intellect affected so many different disciplines. From game theory to computers to the Manhattan Project, von Neumann and his remarkable abilities helped shape the 20th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 21 2017

Humans have been recording instances of solar eclipses for thousands of years. Today, we're walking through some of the famous eclipses in history, all while wearing proper eye shielding. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 19 2017

We're revisiting our 2013 episode on the invention of the sewing machine and the epic patent battle associated with it. The mechanization of stitching happened by way of a series of inventions, several of which finally came together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 16 2017

Tudor hatched a clever plan: In cold weather, he would harvest ice for cheap, and then sell it all around the world when it was hot, singlehandedly turning ice into a commodity and becoming vastly wealthy in the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 14 2017

France’s mad king Charles VI reigned in the middle of the Hundred Years War between England and France. While his early reign hinted at greatness, things soon spiraled downward. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 12 2017

We're revisiting a classic episode, about cheese! It's been around for more than 9,000 years. But how did humans learn to make it? And how did all the different types of cheese develop? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 09 2017

Spurred by the same fears, prejudices and societal issues that were driving the progressive movement in general, the eugenics movement in the U.S. focused on identifying, sequestering and even sterilizing people who were deemed to be "unfit." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 07 2017

The Sepoy Rebellion was the result of many, many influences and stressors on the cultures of India living under British rule. In Britain, it's called the Sepoy Mutiny or the Indian Mutiny, but in India, it’s called the First War of Independence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 05 2017

We're revisiting a classic episode, all about the Count of Saint Germain. His story features teleportation, alchemy and even rumors of immortality. Was he a spy? A concealed royal? A skilled con man? Or just a compulsive liar? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 02 2017

Ibn Battuta's 14th-century travels were extensive. He was away from home for roughly 24 years and during that time traveled through virtually every Muslim nation and territory, becoming the traveler of the age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 31 2017

Frederick Douglass was an orator, writer, statesman and social reformer. His early life shaped the truly remarkable advocate he became, and the two primary causes he campaigned for — the abolition of slavery and women's suffrage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 29 2017

We're revisiting a classic episode, all about Jane Austen. She was not a shy spinster who wrote some little books mostly to amuse her own family, and she wasn't a real-life Elizabeth Bennett. Her life was very different from any of her heroines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 26 2017

After her initial "smashings," Carry A. Nation became a full-time activist, traveling from town to town to destroy saloons and preach temperance. She turned her fame into a good income, and used much of that money to set up women’s shelters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 24 2017

Several events in Carry Nation's early life catalyzed her temperance activism. Her marriages and her faith were particularly important in shaping the woman she became. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 19 2017

With a huge number of British Expeditionary Force troops stranded in one location, a massive evacuation operation was undertaken. While it was considered a success, the costs to the Allies were high. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 17 2017

Retellings of the Dunkirk rescue often leave out how the Allied forces got into such a predicament, with a huge part of the British Expeditionary Force stranded. Today, we'll talk about the lead-up to WWII and its relentless progression into France. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 12 2017

The NASA space program likely wouldn't be what it is today without the work Hugh Dryden did before NASA even existed, and his guidance in its early years. NASA's Chief Historian Bill Barry joins Holly for a talk about Dryden's impressive life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 10 2017

Despite growing up in a convent and coming very close to taking religious vows as a nun, Catalina de Erauso wound up living a life of danger and adventure. A lot of today's episode falls into the general category of "exploits." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 05 2017

In the early 18th century, an engraver-turned-artist made his mark on the art world by producing satirical prints in series that commented on morality and society. And some of his work is used today as a teaching tool. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 03 2017

It's time for another mid-year edition of Unearthed! The show covers new research and information about the Lions of Tsavo, human taxidermy, a photo of Harriet Tubman, and H.H. Holmes, among others. And of course, there's fresh Ötzi news! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 28 2017

The Eastland disaster was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in American history. And in this particular case, safety regulations actually made things worse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 26 2017

Humans have painted roses, written about them, and assigned them symbolic meaning for centuries. But this much-beloved flower predates mankind, and it's a little difficult to track our early relationship with cultivating it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 21 2017

Animals and humans have been living together for centuries, but standardized veterinary care developed over a long period of time in many different places. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 19 2017

In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire, not for the first time, but for the last time. This event is often credited with helping pass the Clean Water Act and inspire the
creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 14 2017

The extinction of one New Zealand bird species is often attributed to a single cat. While feline predation played a significant role in the end of the Stephens Island wren, the story is actually more complex. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 12 2017

Most people know Wonder Woman as an embodiment of truth and justice, but don't know much about the comic's earlier years or its creator. Marston lived an unconventional life, and in many ways, Wonder Woman was an expression of that life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 07 2017

Riel was labeled both a traitor and a hero in his time. His work as a political leader for the Métis Nation in the Red River Rebellion led to the establishment of Manitoba. His involvement in the North-West Rebellion did not have a positive outcome. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 05 2017

Australian Kellerman gets a lot of the credit for developing the women's one-piece bathing suit. But she was also a competitive swimmer, as well as a vaudeville and film star who designed her own mermaid costumes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 31 2017

As a naturalist illustrator, Maria Sibylla Merian helped dispel many entomological myths and improved the scientific study of insects and plants, and she did it beautifully. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 29 2017

In the late 18th century, Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler, also known as the Ladies of Llangollen, abandoned their life in the upper tiers of Irish society and made a home for themselves in Wales. And they became rather famous in the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 24 2017

The Scopes Trial, aka the Monkey Trial, played out in Dayton, Tennessee, in the summer of 1925. It all stemmed from a state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 22 2017

Over the course of several days in 1934, Adolf Hitler, who was at the time the Nazi Party Leader and Reich Chancellor, directed an action which eliminated all of his political enemies and enabled him to declare himself Fuhrer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 17 2017

While he's known primarily as the astronomer who promoted the idea of a heliocentric solar system, Copernicus was also a master mathematician and a doctor. He worked for the church his entire life, and wrote a manuscript on devaluation of currency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 15 2017

This installment of our impossible episodes series features a set of stories that are all about front-line heroism. Most of them are listener requests. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 10 2017

Cole was a lifelong prankster, but none of his stunts could compare with his scheme to gain access to the HMS Dreadnought by getting his friends -- including Virginia Woolf -- to pretend they were Abyssinian royalty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 08 2017

The MOVE organization is often labeled as a black liberation group or a black power group, but it’s more complex than that. After a protracted, contentious relationship with Philadelphia police, MOVE’s home was bombed in 1985. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 03 2017

Although horse racing in general has been around much longer than the Kentucky Derby, including in the United States, the Derby itself has become the nation's most famous and prestigious horse racing event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 01 2017

Urbanization and mechanization, and all the downsides they brought with them, had continued in Great Britain in the years since the Luddite Rebellion. In response, a radical group plotted to assassinate the Prime Minister's entire cabinet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 26 2017

Abbott and Costello made it big in Hollywood during WWII, but the later part of their career together was beset by tragedy, money issues and personal problems that ultimately ended their partnership. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2017

The comedy team of Abbott and Costello created some of the most memorable sketches in history. Their perfectly balanced energy catapulted them from burlesque and vaudeville stages to radio, and eventually Hollywood. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 19 2017

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is one of the modern world's most infamous incidents of unethical medical research. The study's researchers told its participants that they were being treated for syphilis, but in reality, they weren't. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 17 2017

Whitman is often touted as the best and most important poet in U.S. history, but he also worked as a teacher and a journalist. And his poetry career didn't start out particularly well. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 12 2017

One of the most diverse things about the U.S. is its food industry. Foodies obsessively seek out the “authentic” flavors of any given culture. But many of the foods brought to the U.S. via immigration were initially viewed with suspicion and disdain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 10 2017

There have been many moments in history when the world came perilously close to a full-scale nuclear war, due to false alarms or miscommunication. One such moment is the only known time that a head of state has activated their nuclear briefcase. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 05 2017

In our second episode about Brooklyn's 150-year-old public park, we interview three guests, each with a unique knowledge of the park's history and its restoration in the last three decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 03 2017

Brooklyn's massive public green space tells the historical story of its community. From an undeveloped tract of land, the space was developed to become an Olmsted and Vaux masterpiece. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 29 2017

Writer H.P. Lovecraft created worlds and stories that continue to be influential more than 80 years after his death. His life story is at turns odd, sad, problematic and utterly fascinating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 27 2017

There's really not a lot concretely known about the life of Aphra Behn, who, in addition to being a spy, was a dramatist, poet, novelist, translator, and the first woman in English literature known to have made her living as a writer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 22 2017

Khutulun's story is a little bit cloudy, in part because it’s many hundreds of years old, and in part because accounts of her life involve a combination of propaganda and an outsider’s interpretation of it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 20 2017

Jules Cotard was the first psychiatrist to write about the cluster of symptoms that would come to be called “Walking Corpse Syndrome.” But his work was unfinished, and left a great deal of room for debate about it among his colleagues. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 15 2017

This was one of the worst disasters in Texas history, the worst school disaster in U.S. history, and it was a horrific tragedy that stemmed from a huge number of small decisions and moments. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 13 2017

The practice of the monarch laying on hands to cure sick people lasted from the medieval period all the way to the 18th century in Britain and France. One disease in particular was so often "cured" it came to be known as the King's Evil. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 08 2017

Holly interviews Michael Bornstein and his daughter Debbie Bornstein Holinstat about their book "Survivors Club." The book chronicles the story of Michael's family during the Holocaust, and how Michael survived at Auschwitz. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 06 2017

For a very short time between Edward VI and Mary I, Lady Jane was, at least nominally, Queen of England and Ireland, but whether she had any right to the title is still the subject of dispute. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 27 2017

From his start as an apprentice to a nurseryman in London, John Kidwell would go on to catalyze the establishment of Hawaii’s pineapple industry. His story is tied to the white business-driven Reform Party and its coup over the Hawaiian monarchy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 27 2017

Dr. Gates joins Holly to talk about history's impact on our future, Black History Month, and his upcoming PBS series "Africa's Great Civilizations." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 22 2017

Maroons are Africans and people of African ancestry who escaped enslavement and established communities in the Caribbean and parts of the Americas. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Jamaica's Maroon communities clashed with British colonial government. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 20 2017

Rabbi Jacob Rothschild was a vocal activist who spoke out for civil rights despite the danger in doing so. White supremacists bombed The Temple in Atlanta in a direct reaction to Rothschild's work for equality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 15 2017

After Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, people were incarcerated in inadequate and dehumanizing camps. Even once the detention program ended, things were still incredibly difficult for people after their release. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 13 2017

Roughly 122,000 Japanese immigrants and American citizens of Japanese ancestry were removed from their homes on the West Coast and incarcerated for much of the U.S. involvement in WWII. About two-thirds of them were U.S. citizens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 08 2017

In 1789, a group of protesters -- mostly women -- marched from Paris to Versailles to pressure King Louis XVI to address France's food shortage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 06 2017

He was one of the first Americans to achieve fame as a Shakespearean actor — and the first black man to do so, becoming a famous figure on the Victorian stage. But Aldridge has largely been excluded from biographies of Shakespearean actors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 01 2017

Lucille Ball was the grande dame of American comedy. The famed star worked in modeling, radio and film, but she really made her mark in television, and her work set the standard for the TV sitcom. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 30 2017

Ed Roberts was a disability rights activist, known as the father of the Independent Living movement. That movement combines advocacy, resources and education toward the goal of living independently and fully integrated with abled society. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 25 2017

When Prince Pedro of Portugal was married off in the 1300s, he only had eyes for his new wife's lady in waiting. The story of Inês and Pedro's love has everything: romance, deception, murder, and a corpse crowned as queen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 23 2017

Holly is joined in the studio by Carol Thompson, Fred and Rita Richman Curator of African Art at the High Museum of Art. Carol shares her incredible knowledge, stories from her personal life and the importance of studying Africa's rich art tradition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 18 2017

Great Zimbabwe was a massive stone city in southeastern Africa that was a thriving trade center from the 11th to 15th centuries. But when Europeans first learned of it in the 16th century, they were certain it wasn't African at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 16 2017

While she's mostly associated with education, Maria Montessori worked in several fields. Her theories on early education still shape the way kids learn today around the globe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 11 2017

The American sculptor was a celebrated artist in her day, but she receded from the spotlight; her final years remained a mystery for quite some time. Her marble works are striking examples of the neoclassical style popular at the end of the 19th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 09 2017

After witnessing the brutality of a battle first-hand, Swiss-born Dunant dedicated his life to easing the suffering brought by war. But he did so at great cost to his personal life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 04 2017

Erik Lars Myers, founder, CEO and head brewer at Mystery Brewing Company, talks about the history of beer, including how it connects to charity, nutrition and humans' first development of agriculture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 02 2017

Part two of our annual roundup of unearthed news is a bit of a hodgepodge. It features identifications, very large finds, edible finds, art and letters, and some historical debunkings. And of course, we have everyone's favorite: exhumations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 28 2016

It's time to talk about all the things that were unearthed in 2016! This first of two episodes covers stuff it seems like happens every year, things that are actually older than we thought, and shipwrecks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 26 2016

The Piltdown Man is one of the world’s most infamous instances of scientific fraud, and it derailed the study of evolution for decades. How exactly did scientists in 1912 fall so completely for a hoax? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 21 2016

The uprising of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire during the Hellenistic period is an integral part of the Hanukkah story. After the restoration of Jewish religious freedom, the Maccabees started another revolt to obtain total independence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 19 2016

Since last year's episodes on non-Santa holiday figures were so popular, there's another installment for 2016! This time around, Frau Perchta, Olentzero, Mari Lwyd and Ded Moroz get the spotlight. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 14 2016

After she became a free woman, Belinda Sutton successfully petitioned for compensation for her years of enslaved labor. This was one of many legal efforts of enslaved and formerly enslaved people to advocate for themselves in Massachusetts courts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 12 2016

Jerry, a Sears scholar and history teacher, joins Holly in the studio to talk about the historical significance of the building where HowStuffWorks is headquartered, as well as the company that built it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 07 2016

After a bombing attack on his home, Attorney General Palmer launched a series of raids on perceived threats to national security. Thousands of people were rounded up, many without cause or warrant, and kept in horrifying conditions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 05 2016

After WWI, there was a great deal of social unrest in the United States. Additionally, there was a fear that Communist revolutionaries would try to take over the country. Adding fuel to the fear were two bomb plots in 1919. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 30 2016

Wallace was one of the most prominent voices against the Civil Rights Movement and its objectives. He spent multiple campaigns for both governor and president on an explicitly pro-segregation platform. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 28 2016

Author and illustrator Jason Porath joins Tracy and Holly in the studio to talk about women from history featured in his new book, including the Mancini sisters, Sayyida al-Hurra, Tomyris and Noor Inayat Khan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 23 2016

In 1862, murder led to war between the Dakota and the United States. What followed was a campaign of retribution against multiple indigenous peoples, many who had nothing to do with the prior conflict, ranging from Minnesota into Dakota Territory. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 21 2016

People are often surprised to learn that the namesake for the James Webb Space Telescope wasn't a scientist or engineer, but a lawyer and a bureaucrat. He was NASA's second administrator, and led the agency through incredibly difficult times. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 16 2016

The riot at Attica Correctional Facility in September 1971, demanding better living conditions and basic human rights, remains a significant moment in the history of the U.S. prison system. But many of the problems that catalyzed it persist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 14 2016

Attica Correctional Facility originally opened in rural, upstate New York in 1931. In 1971, conditions at the prison were at a point where they were humiliating, dehumanizing and counterproductive to rehabilitation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 09 2016

Establishing a submarine telegraph cable to connect North America and Europe took ingenuity, but more than anything else, it required tenacity. There were numerous stumbling blocks before there was finally a direct connection across the Atlantic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 07 2016

We often get requests for topics that are so similar to existing episodes that they would sound like repeats. Here are six that will probably sound very familiar to regular listeners. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 02 2016

In the summer of 1791, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Maria Reynolds began an affair that would lead to blackmail, political rumors, a 98-page confessional document ... and eventually a song in a hit Broadway musical. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 31 2016

In 1943, a skeleton was found in a tree near Birmingham, England. More than 70 years later, it's still unknown who the deceased was and how the body ended up in an elm tree. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 26 2016

There have been numerous instances of ships found adrift with no one on board. Four of those nautical mysteries are featured here, with some truly chilling details. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 24 2016

If you only know of Vincent Price from his films, you may be surprised by his rich life story. Victoria Price joins the show to talk about her famous father and his life beyond the silver screen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 19 2016

Baking expert Anne Byrn joins Holly to talk about the place of cake in U.S. history, from the early colonies right up to the modern era. The relationship between kitchen and culture is evidenced in Anne's research about sweet treats in America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 17 2016

From 1897 to 1962, a small theater in Paris gave became famous for its grisly, terrifying plays. The Theatre du Grand Gignol became a cultural fixture in Europe, and ultimately gave rise to horror as an entertainment genre. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 12 2016

In January of 1700, a tsunami struck the coast of Japan. While the connection between earthquakes and tsunamis was known, it actually took a very long time to figure out where the catalyzing earthquake had taken place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 10 2016

At the height of Europe's witch trials, the northern coast of Norway had a disproportionate number of executions for sorcery. The small fishing community in the Arctic circle staged 140 trials, and sentenced 91 of the accused witches to death. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 05 2016

In the early 1800s, a family in Tennessee allegedly experienced what seemed to be a haunting on their family farm. Many narratives have blossomed from the Bell Witch story, but when you really try to look at the facts, they're few and far between. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 03 2016

Fishing plays vital role in the culture and economy of both the United Kingdom and Iceland. A dispute between the countries over fishing territory started off with cordial tone, and then escalated into a serious conflict. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 28 2016

At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, a chunk of rough and unwelcoming stretch of territory in the Canyonlands area east of the Dirty Devil River became a safe haven for scoundrels, including Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 26 2016

In July 1900, an interaction between New Orleans police and two black men set off a chain of horrific events. A man hunt, bloodthirsty mobs and senseless murders were all catalyzed by that meeting in a city already grappling with racial tension. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 21 2016

Tracy and Holly were joined by authors Bryan Young, E.B. Wheeler and Brian McClellan during Salt lake Comic Con for a talk about how authors weave real-life events and historical inspiration into their work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 19 2016

Molly was born on Indian Island, Maine, and she turned to dance to help her family make ends meet. But because audiences and companies in the U.S. pushed her toward stereotypical depictions of Native Americans, she eventually took her dancing to France. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 14 2016

Coubertin had a vision to unite the world through sport, and he eventually managed to launch the modern Olympic Games. But those first few times out, things weren't always smooth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 12 2016

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, set out to create an armed revolution of emancipated slaves. Instead, it became a tipping point leading to the U.S. Civil War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 07 2016

As man was looking to the skies and yearning to fly, two inventive brothers came up with an idea to set humans aloft. The Montgolfiers were among many inventors working toward flight in the 18th century, but they often get all the attention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 05 2016

The London Match Girls Strike of 1888 was an important labor rights event in Britain. Women working in a match factory took a stand against hazardous and unfair working conditions, and impacted organized labor in the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 31 2016

Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King Jr. discusses the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which gave rebelling states 100 days to return to the Union or have their enslaved population freed during the U.S. Civil War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 29 2016

Eighteenth-century Englishman Thomas Day decided that the only way to have a perfect wife was to create one. So he adopted two orphans and attempted to train them, sometimes in incredibly abusive ways. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 24 2016

Even though Edward Jones served two prison sentences for his intrusions into Buckingham palace, it seems that the authorities were willing to do almost anything to keep him away from London. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 22 2016

Not long after young Victoria became queen, a young man got into Buckingham Palace, wandered around, and attempted to steal several items. It was merely the first of many visits to the palace he would make. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 17 2016

During the French and Indian War, a clash between Cherokee tribes and the British -- who had been allies -- slowly escalated on the southern end of the larger conflict. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 15 2016

Famed lady pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read are often requested as a topic by listeners. But telling their story requires navigating some rather suspect historical accounts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 10 2016

Because he saw himself as Yosemite's ambassador, Hutchings was surprised when the state of California told him his land claim was invalid. He fought the state for many years, and though he ultimately lost the battle, it didn't sever his ties to Yosemite. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 08 2016

Once Yosemite had been seen by white men, it became the focus of a great deal of attention, both for its natural wonders and for the potential money to be made there. James Hutchings spent the majority of his life writing and speaking about Yosemite. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 03 2016

For parts of the 20th century, the U.S. and Mexico had agreements in place allowing, and even encouraging, Mexican nationals to enter the U.S. to perform agricultural work and other labor in the American Southwest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 01 2016

Industries and governments had a really weird preoccupation with protecting people from margarine way before it was made with the hydrogenated oils that led to its unhealthy reputation in more recent years. There's even bootlegging involved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 27 2016

While his name is most strongly associated with the sewing machine, Isaac Singer's life is a tale far beyond the story of mechanized stitching. A philanderer and cut throat businessman, Singer managed to accrue huge sums of wealth in his later life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 25 2016

Doss was the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, though he's not the only one. Two other men, Thomas W. Bennett and Joseph G. LaPointe, Jr. also showed tremendous valor and received the same award, though posthumously. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 20 2016

When three escaped slaves showed up at a Union position during the U.S. Civil War, the decision of how to handle the situation fell to Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler. His actions led to a situation for which the government was simply not prepared. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 18 2016

We're halfway through the year, and we have SO MANY unearthed items already! So, after polling listeners, we're adding a mid-year edition of our Unearthed! series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 13 2016

Miss Bland was a jockey, a sports photographer, a journalist, a car dealer and a pioneer farmer. She also built Ireland's first powered airplane, entirely by hand, and successfully piloted it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 11 2016

She was a black Canadian-American who became the first woman in North America to publish and edit a newspaper. She advocated against slavery, for better lives for free black people, and for women's rights. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 06 2016

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many cities were facing the same issue: so much horse manure, they couldn't keep up with it. It created unhygienic conditions, and very real problems. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 04 2016

Portrayals of this piece of Scottish and English history are often simultaneously romanticized and oversimplified. It's a great deal more complicated than any one event, and is instead the result of many contributing factors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 29 2016

For a long time, astronomers believed that there must have been a planet lurking in the gap between Mars and Jupiter. What they found was Ceres, and this object's story is one of scientific cattiness and our ever-evolving understanding of space. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 27 2016

The Achaemenid Empire was founded by Cyrus II in the 6th century B.C.E., and it became an empire unlike any the world had seen up to that point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 22 2016

Because of his previous ties to the Communist Party, his race, and his sexual orientation, the McCarthy era was extremely dangerous for Rustin. This was one of many reasons why his activism focused on other countries in the 1950s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 20 2016

Bayard Rustin was an openly gay black man born in 1912. He spent his life working tirelessly for equal rights, peace, democracy, and economic equality, including being one of the primary planners of the 1963 March on Washington. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 15 2016

There was a whole lot more to Harriet Tubman's life and work than her time as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. During the United States Civil War, she worked as a Union spy, eventually earning the nickname "General." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 13 2016

Most people are familiar with her involvement with the Underground Railroad, but Harriet Tubman was also a spy for the Union during the Civil War, among many other things. Untangling the truth from the myth is the trickiest part of her story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 08 2016

British hair guru Raymond Bessone became the first celebrity hair stylist by leveraging the post-war desire for glamour and his own innate skill at marketing. His larger-than-life persona and skill with shears made his coiffures the pinnacle of style. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 06 2016

She's sometimes called the patron saint of cats, and the story of Gertrude's religious devotion starts when she was just a young child. Her family's history is important, because they formed the roots of the Carolingian dynasty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 01 2016

In 1973, after a series of earthquakes, a fissure opened up on the eastern side of the Icelandic island of Heimaey. As the eruption developed over time, it became more dangerous, and a variety of measures were undertaken to stop the flow of lava. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 30 2016

While the Bauhaus school is well known, and its original manifesto proclaimed an environment of equality, most of the women who went to the school were ushered into specific courses, rather than given their choice of studies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 25 2016

Fashion historian April Calahan joined Holly for a talk about the surprising ways that women of France protested German occupation during WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 23 2016

Insatiable hunger completely dominated every aspect of this French man's existence in the 18th century. His life took a series of twists and turns, but his condition was never truly diagnosed or cured. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 18 2016

No starving artist, Vigée Le Brun was the first woman to ever become a court painter in France when she was commissioned to paint Marie Antoinette. She painted royalty and nobility throughout Europe, even as her personal life had its ups and downs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 16 2016

We get a lot of requests for topics that are very interesting, but for which there's very little information. In some cases, those people or events may have never existed. Here's a collection of six such tales. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 11 2016

After years of protesting and resisting British rule in New York, Mulligan passed important information on to George Washington, possibly saving his life. How did that one-time act of happenstance blossomed into a career as a full-time spy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 09 2016

Hercules Mulligan was indeed a real person who passed intelligence to George Washington, mostly through two means - one was an enslaved man named Cato, and the other was the Culper Spy Ring. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 04 2016

Women have been part of mail delivery in the U.S. since colonial times, but it took centuries for women postal workers to become commonplace. Even through times when certain USPS jobs were off limits to them, women were still vital to the postal service. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 02 2016

It's fairly common knowledge that the Nazis were prolific looters and that there was occult interest among the officers of the organization. How weird did things actually get, and how close are the Indiana Jones movies to what really happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 27 2016

You may not know that Salt Lake City has been home to some key moments in film history. Guest host Bryan Young joins Holly to talk about everything from Charlie Chaplin to recent movies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 25 2016

Have you ever wondered why so many of today's weddings feature white dresses, tiered cakes and registries for silver and dishes? Queen Victoria (and the rest of her era) get a lot of the credit. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 20 2016

The Easter Rising is considered to be one of the most pivotal events in modern Irish history, and it was a precursor to a number of other events that have happened since then, both within and outside of Ireland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 18 2016

Pizza-like foods go way, way back in history, long before we associated the delicious dish with Italy. How did pizza's pedigree develop, and how did it get to its second home in the U.S.? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 13 2016

After his parents' home burned down under mysterious circumstances, Oliver Haugh was put on trial for murder. Haugh did little to help his own case, and hoped to be found insane so he could serve a shorter time in an asylum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 11 2016

In his early career Dr. Haugh claimed to be working on the next step in human evolution. But he was really a man enslaved by his addiction to cocaine and morphine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 06 2016

By the early 18th century, it was not uncommon for people in Martha's Vineyard to be deaf from birth. This had a profound effect on the culture of Martha's Vineyard - and one that went on to influence Deaf culture in the United States as a whole. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 04 2016

Dr. Kali Nicole Gross joins Tracy to discuss a murder that took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1887. The details of the investigation and trial offer insight into the culture of the the post-Reconstruction era, particularly in regards to race. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 30 2016

Zheng He led expeditionary voyages from China in the 15th century. While there are many tall tales about his accomplishments, his actual life was pretty spectacular without them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 28 2016

The Tupac Amaru rebellion was a conflict between Spain and its colonies in South America which took place from 1780 to 1783. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 23 2016

The duties of the women of the WASP evolved over time, and some of them were quite dangerous. And once the program ended, there were -- and still are -- controversies over whether the women involved should be recognized as military veterans. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 21 2016

The Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII was formed to see if women could fly military aircraft, and potentially free up male noncombat pilots to serve in the U.S. armed forces. Our expert guest reveals that there's so much more to the story, though. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 16 2016

Because of its functionality in providing needed clothing for humans, knitting has been around for a long time. Exactly how long isn't entirely clear, but we do know a good bit about how knitting has traveled with us humans through time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 14 2016

The beginning of Denmark's monarchy more than a thousand years ago is linked to two large rune stones at Jelling. Is it possible that the stones were part of an effort on Harald Blåtand's part to revise the history of his parents, Gorm and Thyre? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 09 2016

Eureka Springs, Arkansas is home to a beautiful Victorian hotel with a long and winding history. A colorful part of that history involves a man who claimed that doctors couldn't be trusted, and that he had the cure for cancer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 07 2016

Hildegard was a Christian mystic of medieval Europe who was way, way ahead of her time. If she had lived a few hundred years later, and been male, people probably would have called her a renaissance man. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 02 2016

When Hansen's disease was introduced to Hawaii, businessmen, especially from the U.S., were having an increasing influence on the Hawaiian government. That influence directly affected how Hawaii handled the disease. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 24 2016

After the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the punishment that Japanese forces doled out in China for their part in helping the U.S. was brutal and devastating. From terror occupations to biological warfare, many of China's towns were systematically destroyed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 22 2016

It's now a childhood classic, but the modern Crayola crayon has roots in the same company where carbon black was made for car tires at the turn of the 20th century. But people were creating art with colored implements before Binney and Smith made theirs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 17 2016

After his daring and impressive escape from slavery, Smalls was considered to be contraband, which was a term used for formerly enslaved people who joined the Union. But this was the beginning of an impressive career as a free man. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 15 2016

Robert Smalls was born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina in 1839. He escaped from enslavement during the U.S. Civil War, in a particularly dramatic fashion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 10 2016

The Doolittle Raid was an attack on Japan launched by the U.S. in retaliation for Pearl Harbor. But the leader of the mission was a legend long before his daring efforts in WWII. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 08 2016

While Michelangelo's sculpture of Mary holding the deceased body of Christ is the most famous depiction of that moment in art, that scene has been the focus of many works. And once, the famous version took a trip across the ocean. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 03 2016

On May 30, 1948, a flood destroyed Vanport, Oregon. What really makes the story more than a historical footnote is how it tied in to the racial makeup of both Portland and Oregon at the time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 01 2016

In early modern London, there was a tradition of sorts where apprentices would amass on holidays and physically destroy brothels. One of the largest such riot took place during Easter week in 1668, and it was a complicated event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 27 2016

Queen Victoria reigned for more than six decades, but her early years as ruler were peppered with a number of disastrous missteps. By participating in a horrible rumor campaign about her mother's lady-in-waiting, she ended up damaging her own reputation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 25 2016

The Honey War wasn't really about honey. It was a dispute over state lines. There are some bee trees in the mix, as well as some truly sub-par surveying work. It's a story full of silliness, pride and bureaucracy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 20 2016

One of the worst mining tragedies in history, the explosion that sent fire through the Courrières mine tunnels claimed more than a thousand lives. It also created awareness of dangerous issues in mines that hadn't received much focus up to that point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 18 2016

In 1888, a blizzard so sudden and severe hit the American Midwest and claimed the lives of hundreds, some of whom died just outside the safety of shelter. Weather prediction of the fast-moving storm simply didn't reach people in time to prepare them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 13 2016

The second part of our episode on the Australian diva focuses on her career in the early 1900s, her charity work and her belief that singers had to work -- and work hard -- to be constantly perfecting their technique. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 11 2016

Born Helen Porter Mitchell in Melbourne, Australia in 1861, Nellie Melba would rise to fame as a singer. Her life was everything you'd expect from a diva: foods named for her, command performances and a scandalous royal affair. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 06 2016

April has two books out about fashion history, one featuring historical fashion plates, and another on the pochoir technique used to create fashion illustrations in the early 20th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 04 2016

More of the 2015 news items of historical significance! The second part of this topic includes firearms, letters, blackboards, sculpture and of course, mass graves and exhumations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 30 2015

As has become an annual tradition on the show, we're capping off 2015/starting 2016 with a roundup of things that have been unearthed, either figuratively or literally, over the year. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 28 2015

Resistance to excise taxes levied against U.S. whiskey distilleries in the 1790s led to violence and rebellion. Tensions finally came to a head on Christmas day in 1794. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 23 2015

In addition to the characters we talked about on our last episode, there are even more colorful holiday traditions that may be a bit surprising to people who didn't grow up with them. That includes the ogress of Iceland and the Catalan pooping log. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 21 2015

Krampus has become really popular in recent years, but there are many holiday characters from various cultures around the world that all have fascinating histories. For example, Italy's La Befana and the Netherlands version of St. Nick, Sinterklaas. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 16 2015

The Sodder family's West Virginia home caught fire on Christmas Eve, 1945. Five of the children were never seen again, though their bodies weren't recovered from the rubble. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 14 2015

We often get episode requests, but because there are so many episodes in the back catalog, some of the most common requests have already been covered. So in today's podcast we're going to hit the highlights on the episodes people ask for again and again. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 09 2015

Katharine McCormick made her mark in two different areas: She was a big part of the movement for women's suffrage in the U.S. And, she was a huge - and for a while, almost entirely forgotten - part of the development of oral contraceptives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 07 2015

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott met in London in 1840 and bonded instantly over a shared anger at injustices against women. Their friendship led to the creation the Women's Rights Convention in 1848, and the signing of a pivotal document. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 02 2015

Humans have always longed to explore underwater, but the need to breathe air has been an obstacle. From as far back as the 4th century B.C.E., clever inventors have been designing technology to give us face time with the creatures of the sea. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 30 2015

One of the most infamous aspects of World War I was its long, brutal stalemate along the enormous system of trenches known as the Western Front. The powers involved all expected the war to be over quickly, but it reached an impasse almost immediately. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 25 2015

Sophia Duleep Singh's education was focused on turning her into a proper lady, in line with her status as a princess. But she also became deeply involved in the Women's Social and Political Union, a radical arm of the women's suffrage movement in Britain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 23 2015

A princess of the Sikh empire, Sophia Duleep Singh grew up in Great Britain, and was Queen Victoria's god daughter. But her childhood was not exactly a charmed one, and her family, caught between two worlds, experienced great upheaval and tragedy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 18 2015

In 1791, a confederation of Native American tribes destroyed about half of the American army. The catalyst for that conflict was a lengthy period in which unfair treaties, biased against native peoples, were all too common. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 16 2015

In 1932, a speakeasy owner and several friends planned to commit a murder to cash in fraudulent insurance policies. But carrying out their plot was much more difficult than they anticipated. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 11 2015

Part two of our live show is the Q&A portion of the evening. Our audience asked such amazing and insightful questions that it resulted in some great discussion about assassinations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 09 2015

In October, we went to New York Super Week for our first live show! Joining us was author Bryan Young, who wrote a book about presidential assassinations (and attempts) ... for children. It's just as delightful as you think it is. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 04 2015

You may know the apple/gravity story, but Isaac Newton's life was so much more than that. Not only did he contribute huge concepts to physics, mathematics and astronomy, he also busted counterfeiters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 02 2015

In WWI, a black U.S. Army unit became one of the most decorated of the war. When these soldiers returned home, they were greeted as heroes, but were still targets of segregation, discrimination and oppression. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 28 2015

Sixteenth-century France had a serious case of werewolf panic. Did Garnier really transform into lupine form and attack and eat humans? Or were the gruesome deaths of several children merely the work of wild animals? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 26 2015

People have fermented foods to make alcohol for much of human history. For this episode, when we refer to "moonshine," we're talking specifically about illegal liquor North America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 21 2015

Two troubling tales from the 1920s share the stage in this episode. First, newlyweds that vanished on what would have been a historic boating trip. Second, a family murdered by someone who may have been hiding in their house for weeks or months. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 19 2015

To celebrate the Halloween season with a little Disney flair, Holly chatted with the author of "The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic" about the beloved theme park attraction and balancing history and innovation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 14 2015

Hazzard had no medical training but called herself a doctor. Her patients often signed over all their money to her, gave her their jewelry, and made her their legal guardian, even as she starved them to death in a "sanitarium" in rural Washington. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 12 2015

Christopher Lee wasn't just a film star - he was, by any account, an amazing man. He spoke multiple languages, was an incredible singer and had fantastic fencing skills. He also had ties to many important historical events and people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 07 2015

Part two of this discussion of redlining explores the language that assessors used when making color-coded maps of neighborhoods in segregated cities. These maps were used to determine whether mortgage lending in those neighborhoods was desirable. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 05 2015

Redlining is a word used to describe a lot of different patterns of economic discrimination. But during the Great Depression, real estate-related discrimination included systemized grading of neighborhoods based on the races that lived there. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 30 2015

Jason Merrill of Blackbird Finery joins Holly in the studio to talk about adopting the styles and accessories of yesteryear into modern wardrobes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 28 2015

Macario Garcia was a Mexican-born soldier who served in the U.S. military in WWII, earning a Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart. But after his homecoming as a hero, he was involved in an incident which launched a debate about racial discrimination. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 23 2015

Author Rinker Buck's new book details the trip he and his brother Nick made along the Oregon Trail. Holly chatted with Buck about his journey, his writing and his love of history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 21 2015

Franz Liszt was a pianist, a composer and a conductor, and basically the first rock star who drove fans into fits of swooning and screaming. Some fans even stole the detritus of his life (unfinished coffee, broken piano strings) to carry with them. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 16 2015

These are six (more) subjects frequently requested by listeners, but that aren't really workable as stand-alone episodes for one reason or another. Featuring the Capuchin Catacombs, Sybil Ludington, Jeanne de Clisson, the Kentucky Meat Shower, Elizabeth Bathory, and a collection of research tips. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 14 2015

In 1756, after a skirmish between the British East India Company and the nawab of Bengal, dozens of captives were put into a holding cell intended for only a few people overnight. Most of them didn't make it out alive. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 09 2015

It's easy to think of globalization as a new invention, but it really has its roots in the 16th century. Museum of Fine Arts Boston curator Dennis Carr talks to us about Asian influences on art in the colonial Americas thanks to this global trade. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 07 2015

In the early 20th century in Germany, Emmy Noether pursued a career in mathematics, despite many obstacles in her path. She became one of the most respected members of her field, and developed mathematical theory that's still important today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 02 2015

We love to talk about shipwrecks, but Violet Jessop was a shipwreck survivor -- several times over. She traveled the world aboard some of the most famous ocean liners of all time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 31 2015

In 1781, British forces shifted their efforts in the American Revolutionary War to the southern states. Major General Nathaniel Greene and his troops went up against Charles Cornwallis in a battle that was won on a technicality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 26 2015

When a French pastry chef complained to King Louis-Phillippe that his shop in Mexico was destroyed in a riot, it catalyzed a conflict between the two nations. But the military action of the Pastry War was really about a trade agreements and unpaid debts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 24 2015

There was a time when Popsicle and Good Humor couldn't stop suing one another about frozen treats on sticks. Many legal battles were fought over milk fat, the shapes of the desserts and the definition of the word "sherbet." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 19 2015

As Carstair's speedboat racing career faltered, the heiress traveled the world and found other diversions, until she decided to purchase an island in the Bahamas. Then she turned Whale Cay into a kingdom of her own design. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 17 2015

Marion Carstairs, who preferred the name Joe, was an early 20th-century heiress who bucked traditional gender roles and for a time, hid her wealth from even her closest friends. She also became a very successful speedboat racer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 12 2015

During the Cold War, the CIA and KGB were in a constant game of cat and mouse to steal each other's secrets. David E. Hoffman talks with us about the work of one incredibly important spy, who is the subject of his latest book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 10 2015

In 1918, a U.S. Navy collier vanished without a trace after leaving Barbados. The ultimate fate of the Cyclops remains a mystery almost 100 years later, but there are certainly plenty of theories about what happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 05 2015

The kingdom of Dahomey may have had the world's first full-time, all-female combat fighting force. How did these women rise to become some of history's fiercest warriors, and what happened to them? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 03 2015

Like other artifacts that defy deciphering, this clay disk, found on Crete in the early 1900s, has puzzled researchers and stirred up controversy for decades. Is it a religious incantation, a calendar, a spell? Or is it all a pictogram hoax? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 29 2015

In the mid-1800s, Mary Ann Cotton is believed to have poisoned as many as 21 people with arsenic, many of them her own children. She left a trail of bodies behind her everywhere she went, but it was her cavalier remarks that finally drew suspicion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 27 2015

Calamity Jane is one of those historical figures whose reputation has in many ways eclipsed the real story. But she was, without a doubt, a unique character who in many ways lived outside the social norms of her time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 22 2015

The Royal Palaces of Abomey are a series of earthen palaces in what is now Benin. The complex is culturally and historically important to West Africa, but the source of much of the wealth that built those palaces was the Atlantic slave trade. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 20 2015

Diogenes of Sinope was the father of the Cynicism school of philosophy. He was also an incredibly eccentric figure who spoke out against pretense, and he used humor to convey his ideals. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 15 2015

In 1888, Cecil Rhodes and John Smith Moffat duped the king of the Ndebele people into a treaty which led to the expansion of British territory in Africa. From then until the late 1900s, Rhodesia was governed by a white minority. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 13 2015

Peanut butter got its name in the 18th century, but it's been around in some form for hundreds and hundreds of years. The more modern history of the spread features changes to the recipe and even a little litigation with the FDA. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 08 2015

In the 19th and 20th centuries, 150,000 child migrants were sent from Britain to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Rhodesia. Many of these children ended up in far worse conditions than they left behind. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 06 2015

Dr. Virginia Apgar broke new ground in the fields of obstetrics and anesthesiology in the middle of the 20th century. When babies are born today, one of the tools doctors use to measure whether they're thriving on their own is the Apgar score. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 01 2015

The deceptively simple harmonica has roots as far back as ancient China, though it really came into its own in Europe in the 1800s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 29 2015

In 1851, Olive Oatman's family was attacked while traveling near the Gila River in Arizona. Olive was taken by her attackers, and lived for five years with Native Americans before being ransomed by the U.S. government. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 24 2015

Holly chats with archaeologists Patricia Capone and Diana Loren about Harvard's Indian College, the school's importance to Colonial history and the ongoing archaeology of Harvard Yard. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 22 2015

In the 1920s, the Society for Human Rights was founded in Chicago with the intent to decriminalize homosexuality. The society's founder was inspired by Germany's homosexual emancipation movement. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 17 2015

In 1966, a restaurant in San Francisco's Tenderloin district was the site of a violent incident in LGBT history. After the riot, a grassroots effort grew to improve relationships between police and Tenderloin's transgender commnity. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 15 2015

Hokusai lived during a time when there wasn't a lot of contact between Japan and the West. But even so, he drew influence form Western art, and Western art was greatly influenced by his own work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 10 2015

Tracy and Holly talk with fellow podcaster Nate DiMeo of The Memory Palace about his research and writing process. You'll also get to listen to two of Nate's episodes along the way! Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 08 2015

Much like many of the other mad royals that have been discussed on the podcast through the years, Charles IX of France was prone to fits of rage so intense that people at court feared for their lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 03 2015

Once the effort to import hippos to the U.S. got the backing of a politician, two men with wild and intertwined histories, Frederick Russel Burnham and Fritz Duquesne, were brought on board to serve as experts and advocates. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 01 2015

In 1910, the U.S. had a meat shortage and a water hyacinth overgrowth problem. The obvious solution to the double dilemma: Import hippos from Africa. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 27 2015

Dr. Elizabeth P. Archibald of Ask the Past has delved deep into old manuscripts to find pertinent and impertinent advice from the past. In this interview, she discusses the history of how-tos and her new book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 25 2015

People feel very strongly about time capsules, even though the contents are often a little underwhelming. What actually qualifies as a time capsule, and what are some of the most notable ones? Read the show notes here, including a correction about some State House confusion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 20 2015

Once Manning became a professional dancer and choreographer, his work took him all over the world. After WWII derailed his swing dancing, he had a hard time returning to a world where musical tastes had changed. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 18 2015

Frankie Manning grew up loving dance, learning and practicing in ballrooms and private parties in New York. His innovations in creating new moves for the Lindy hop led him from dancing as a hobby to a career as a performer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 13 2015

David McCullough, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, talks about his research and discoveries about the Wright brothers, their extreme determination, their family, and the many, many people who played parts in their great success as innovators. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 11 2015

Until the 1830s, the dominant industry on St. Kitts was sugar, and the majority of the people living there were enslaved Africans who kept that industry going. When the act that was supposed to free them fell short of doing so, the slaves rebelled. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 06 2015

The famed Battle of the Alamo was toward the end of the Texas Revolution - a sort of pivot just before the last battle. But at the revolution's beginning, the siege of Béxar played out in almost the opposite way. Here's a link to our show notes, including a correction to our pronunciation of "Bexar." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 04 2015

The eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt was a firebrand who never shied away from the public eye. She was nicknamed "the Second Washington Monument" because of her social power, which she parlayed into political influence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 29 2015

Louisa was not the only notable Alcott. Her father, Bronson Alcott, made a name for himself as a philosopher and a teacher. And her youngest sister, May Alcott, was an artist, who was really growing in prominence before she died at an early age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 27 2015

Once you examine Louisa May Alcott's life story, the inspirations for her writing become clear. But while she had some things in common with her most famous heroine, a lot sets her apart from Jo March. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 22 2015

In the late 1800s, seven sisters with musical talent and incredibly long hair made waves in the circus and on the stage. They made millions as performers and haircare product moguls, but their personal lives were plagued with eccentricity. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 20 2015

It was half performance for the British troops, and half actual sham, and it led to an attack on Dover by the Pennacook tribe in 1689. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 15 2015

Andrée hoped to succeed in reaching the North Pole where others had failed by doing it by air. With a seemingly endless positivity, he and two other men hoped to earn bragging rights for Sweden by reaching the pole. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 13 2015

Saponification is the process of turning to soap, and in certain conditions, cadavers do it. The Soap Lady is one of the most famous cases of an adipocere-covered corpse, but there are many like her. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 08 2015

The second half of our interview with Dr. Annie Polland from the Lower East Side Tenement Museum focuses on specific figures in the building's history and ongoing research and expansion projects. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 06 2015

The U.S. is, at its heart, a nation of immigrants. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum works to preserve the history of many families who left their home countries to start lives in New York. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 01 2015

As the New York Sun's series of astonishing moon discoveries concluded, most people recognized that it was a hoax. But what made people buy into the tall tale in the first place? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 30 2015

In August 1835, the New York Sun ran a series about some utterly mind-blowing discoveries made by Sir John Herschel about the lunar surface. The serial had everything: moon poppies, goat-like unicorns, lunar beavers and even bat people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 25 2015

Until 1975, children with disabilities in the U.S. weren't guaranteed the right to a public education. The ruling in Brown v. Board sparked a series of cases related to children who had been segregated or restricted from schools based on disabilities. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 23 2015

Carousels are part of childhood, but they were originally billed as an entertainment for adults and children alike. And even further back than that, it's believed that they were used to train horsemen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 18 2015

Dr. Peters helped revolutionize the treatment of both breast cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma. But, at the time, her work was largely dismissed. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 16 2015

The pyramids at Giza are iconic Egyptian landmarks, but they weren't the first to appear. Djoser and his vizier Imhotep are credited with starting the pyramid trend. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 11 2015

In 1944, one of the most disastrous fires in U.S. history broke out during a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance. Dozens of lives were lost and hundreds of people were injured as the largest big top in the country was consumed by flames. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 09 2015

The Night Witches were an all-female bombing regiment in the Soviet Air Force. Flying biplanes meant for dusting crops and training new recruits, they dropped 23,000 tons of bombs on German forces in WWII. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 04 2015

She's often called the greatest female painter of the Baroque period, though there were only a few to compare her to. Her work is extraordinary, and reflects the influences of her father Orazio Gentileschi and Caravaggio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 02 2015

This massive medieval manuscript, nicknamed "The Devil's Bible," contains multiple lengthy entries, a few shorter pieces, and several illustrations. Written by a single scribe, the Codex Gigas is often sensationalized in stories about its creation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 25 2015

Though the Brown v. Board ruling overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, it didn't suddenly solve the segregation problem and end racism in the United States. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 23 2015

It would be next to impossible to have ever had a class on American history or the American Civil Rights Movement and not heard about Brown v. Board. But the case is much more complicated than just one child in one segregated school system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 18 2015

Dr. Leo Baekeland, the inventor of the first synthetic plastic, was a wealthy man at a young age thanks to his innovation in photograph developing. But it was his work with phenol and formaldehyde that would help usher in the age of plastics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 16 2015

The ruling in this infamous U.S. Supreme Court case stated that segregation was legal as long as the separate facilities were equal. But most people are more familiar with the name of the case than with the actual events that transpired around it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 11 2015

Once several cases of narcolepsy were documented in the late 1880s, study of the condition became more common. But it was well into the 20th century before sleep scientists really began to unlock some of the secrets of narcolepsy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 09 2015

People were experiencing sleep disorders long before they were studied to the degree they are now. The first European account of narcolepsy appeared in the 1600s, but it would be well into the 19th century before the condition was researched. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 04 2015

A handful of our most-requested podcast topics that don't have enough solid research for a whole show: Stagecoach Mary, Edward Mordrake, Robert the Haunted Doll, the London Beer Flood, the Lost Army of Cambyses and La Maupin all get time in the spotlight. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 02 2015

An international jailbreak! In the 1860s, a crew from the United States mounted a mission to Western Australia to rescue imprisoned members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood who had been imprisoned by Great Britain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 28 2015

During WWII, the U.S. Army formed a top-secret military unit with one goal: Use artistic and theatrical skills to confuse the enemy. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops turned their creativity into incredible strategic trickery. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 26 2015

From an early age, Katie Sandwina wowed crowds, first as a wrestling act and then exclusively as professional strongwoman. During a time when women's suffrage was a hot button issue, she cultivated an image of a perfectly feminine powerhouse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 21 2015

Once Gaudi's work was displayed at the 1878 Paris World's Fair, his career took off. Through his connections to industrialist Eusebi Güell and architect Joan Martorell, Gaudi was given opportunities to work on impressive projects that are now his legacy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 19 2015

You probably know Gaudi's work, even if you don't recognize his name. His distinctive architecture is featured throughout Barcelona. But his life started humbly, as the son of a Reus coppersmith. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 14 2015

Despite all the fun cartoons on the packaging featuring tiny humanoid sea creatures having wacky fun and wearing clothes, Sea Monkeys are just brine shrimp. But the story of Sea Monkeys and their inventor is actually pretty surprising -- and quite dark. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 12 2015

In 1816, a volcano eruption in Sumbawa, Indonesia, along with several other factors, created an unusual -- and catastrophic -- series of weather events. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 07 2015

More of the 2014 history news roundup! This time out: We've got several assorted things that didn't really fit any other category, followed by medical unearthings, food and drinks, literature and letters, and everyone's favorite category, EXHUMATIONS. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 05 2015

It's time to look at some of the stuff that was literally or figuratively dug up in 2014. This episode includes: connections to past episodes, some extreme serendipity, shipwrecks, a couple of Holocaust-related unearthings, and lots of Oldest Things Ever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 31 2014

When news about new findings at the Stonehenge site broke late in 2014, it seemed like time to update the original Stonehenge episode. But then it turned out, there wasn't an existing episode about this famous ruin. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 29 2014

On September 1, 2014, a team of searchers discovered artifacts from the Franklin Expedition. Over the course of seven dives, additional artifacts from the Erebus were recovered. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 24 2014

In 1826, liquor was forbidden at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Cadets smuggled alcohol into the barracks anyway, and a defiant Christmas party turned into a riot when two officers attempted to break up the festivities. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 22 2014

It's a Christmas episode, a shipwreck and a ghost story rolled into one! It's the story of the the Rouse Simmons, which sank in Lake Michigan while hauling a load of Christmas trees to Chicago. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 17 2014

In 1925, a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska put a community in grave danger -- without the proper supplies to fight the disease. A daring sled-dog relay was mounted to deliver needed medicine to small community and their only doctor. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 15 2014

For most of India's recorded history, salt has been both abundant and subject to taxation. This continued to be the case after the British East India Company's arrival in India, and eventually led to the cultivation of a hedge to prevent salt smuggling. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 10 2014

The story of the Ninth Legion is a favorite among history fans who love a good mystery. But is there really any mystery here, or is the story of their fate more mundane? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 08 2014

In 1903, Chicago's newly-opened Iroquois Theater burned, killing at least 600 people. The horrible, incredibly tragic incident was the result of multiple code violations and wrongdoings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 03 2014

This episode picks up in the middle of Hudson's third voyage, as the Half Moon is making its way down North America's east coast. As Hudson doggedly pursues the idea of a northern sea route from Europe to Asia, he makes a number of poor decisions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 01 2014

Henry Hudson's voyages have all the makings of a juicy story: maritime exploration, horrible treatment of indigenous peoples, treacherous waters, treacherous shipmen, a mercenary switch in loyalties to countries, mutiny -- even a mermaid sighting. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 26 2014

1920, the S-5 left the Boston Navy Yard on its first mission, with a crew of 36 officers and enlisted men. While performing a crash dive as part of a performance evaluation, the crew found themselves on a sinking vessel. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 24 2014

Jules Verreaux and his two brothers collected an impressive array of flora and fauna specimens from around the world for placement with museums and collectors. They also did some really unsavory things that had long-term ramifications. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 19 2014

Aimee Semple McPherson was an extraordinary figure in the early 20th-century religious landscape. As an evangelist, she rose to incredible popularity in the 1920s ... and then vanished. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 17 2014

Poverty Point is a collection of earthwork mounds and ridges situated next to Bayou Maçon in Louisiana. It has features that make it unique among Native American sites, and there are still many questions surrounding its purpose and construction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 12 2014

Before Charles Worth, the idea of ready made clothes for purchase didn't really exist. Neither did the idea of a design house that showed seasonal collections. This one man's vision invented the fashion industry as we know it today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 10 2014

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue ... and Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and Isabella, queen of Castile expelled the Jewish population from Spain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 05 2014

Reed did truly groundbreaking work into the causes and prevention of yellow fever, building on a foundation of other doctors and researchers. His work impacted public health and the American military's ability to work in tropical locations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 03 2014

This Native American dancer was the first grand ballerina of the United States. Through her partnership with famed choreographer George Balanchine, she helped shape ballet in America and served as an inspiration for artists from all backgrounds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 29 2014

Candy and Halloween go hand-in-hand, but when did candy become the standard for trick-or-treating, and who invented the holiday's most famous sweet treats like candy corn? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 27 2014

In 1912, a small Iowa town was the scene of a chilling and brutal crime. Eight people were murdered in their beds by an assailant who has never been identified. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 22 2014

Attacks on women and children of Gevaudan in the 1760s sparked a huge effort to hunt and kill the mystery beast behind them. While efforts to track the animal struggled, France was gripped in terror. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 20 2014

Christina was a smart, learned woman, but not a particularly good ruler. Her entire life was marked by being kind of a contradictory, restless character - starting basically from the moment she was born. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 15 2014

While his name instantly conjures an image of the dashing, sophisticated vampire that helped spark an entire horror film genre, Lugosi really lost more than he gained from playing the role. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 13 2014

While he's mostly associated with the role of Dracula, Bela Lugosi's early life was significantly affected by WWI, the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the transition from silent film to talkies. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 08 2014

Transgender activist Sylvia Rivera is often compared to Rosa Parks. She became famous, in part, for participating in the Stonewall riots, and she spent her life campaigning bravely, stridently and vocally for the rights of gay and transgender people. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 06 2014

In 1959, nine students ventured into the Ural mountains for a ski hiking trip, and never returned. While much speculation has swirled for more than half a century, no one knows for certain what caused them to abandon their camp to die in the cold. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 01 2014

Allen's later years were marred by some unwise political alliances he made in his effort to gain independence for Vermont. After his political work cooled, he turned instead to writing, though he wasn't a hugely popular author. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 29 2014

Ethan Allen was a huge personality, a founder of Vermont, and an important figure in the Revolutionary War. His story also includes some fascinating side-notes, and some missteps which may account for his hazy spot in historical lore. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 24 2014

This famous Hormel Foods product was invented in the 1930s to make use of a surplus of shoulder meat from pigs. Not only was it an instant hit in the U.S., it also played a huge role in WWII and shaped the cuisines of many Pacific Island nations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 22 2014

Great Britain didn't only send criminals to Australia as punishment; they also wanted to colonize the continent. But to do that, they had to send women in addition to men. This plan involved some unsettling facts, and had some unexpected consequences. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 17 2014

In 1969, the tone and direction of the Cultural Revolution shifted dramatically. For the next seven years, until Mao Zedong's death, he tried to remake the government, and the country, after his own vision. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 15 2014

Mao's plan to once again put China on the path to modernization was the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The first phase was a very aggressive, radical series of purges and arrests that went from 1966 to 1968. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 10 2014

Fritz Zwicky is often described as a genius, but also as a caustic figure. His insights into astrophysics are downright baffling, but his prickly interactions with peers were problematic to his career and his place in history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 08 2014

In the wake of the Great Leap Forward, issues with supply and demand, variables of weather and labor and a series of poor decisions resulted in a devastating famine. For three years, China struggled, far removed from the utopia Mao had envisioned. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 03 2014

British Royal Navy lieutenant and artist Norman Wilkinson is usually credited with the idea of disruptive camouflage. But, another man, naturalist John Graham Kerr, claimed that he had the idea three years earlier. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 01 2014

In the mid-20th century, Chairman Mao Zedong launched an ambitious plan to revolutionize Chinese agriculture and industry, build up the economy and turn China into a communist utopia. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 27 2014

She was the wealthiest woman in the U.S., skilled when it came to amassing a fortune. But her eccentric behavior and miserly ways led to bad press and a less-than-flaterring nickname. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 25 2014

The Foreign Mission School in Cornwall, Connecticut was founded with the plan that it would draw young men from world cultures, educate them, convert them to Christianity, and then send them back to their native lands to spread their new found religion. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 20 2014

As the second part of the story picks up, James Andrews and 22 men have commandeered a northbound train in Big Shanty, Georgia. Its conductor, William Fuller, has begun chasing them on foot with two other men in a valiant effort to thwart their plot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 18 2014

The Great Locomotive Chase was a very daring - but very failed - plot to commandeer a train and destroy a crucial stretch of railroad during the Civil War. It's a wild and fun story that covers a lot of ground as it travels around the southeastern U.S. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 13 2014

People knew how to find their north-south position even before we had the idea of "latitude." But once people lost sight of land, they didn't have reliable way of figuring out how far east or west they'd gone - how to measure their longitude. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 11 2014

The Teatro alla Scala is one of the most renowned opera houses in the world, and is Italy's crown jewel of the arts. Even if you have only a passing knowledge of opera, odds are, you know a name connected to the history of this legendary cultural hub. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 06 2014

He's most famous for selling an iconic structure he didn't own, but Robert Miller, known better by his alias Count Victor Lustig, led a life of spectacular cons, daring escapes, smooth talking and counterfeiting. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 04 2014

Pigments and dyes have come from all manner of animals, vegetables and minerals. From ochre to cochineal red to the rarest of purples, color has been an important part of human life for centuries. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 30 2014

In the mid-20th century, one ad company had a wacky plan to actually dole out land deeds as part of a cereal promotion. How did they manage it? And was the land worth anything? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 28 2014

"Black Wall Street" was a nickname for Greenwood, a vibrant suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was destroyed in a race riot in 1921. And while Greenwood's destruction was definitely the product of racial tensions, the event was much more one-sided. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 23 2014

In 1921, coal miners fed up with unfair labor practices and exploitation took up arms against their employers. The resulting conflict lasted five days and has been called the biggest armed uprising on U.S. soil since the Civil War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 21 2014

While the building of a population in a new colony seems like a tricky endeavor, France's King Louis XIV launched a scheme to do just that by shipping eligible ladies to New France in the 1600s. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 16 2014

In the late 1700s, medical colleges needed cadavers for educational dissection, but there were no legal means for obtaining them. This led to some unorthodox dealings in the acquiring of bodies, and brought New York to a fever pitch in 1788. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 14 2014

Makeup has a rich and lengthy history that spans the globe and crosses cultures. From 10,000 B.C.E. to the 20th century, people have been using cosmetics to enhance their looks -- sometimes with unintended side effects. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 09 2014

The Battle of Mons was one of the earliest battles of World War I. In the months after the battle, stories spread that a supernatural presence had covered the British army, preventing it from being destroyed. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 07 2014

The Ottoman Empire's Suleiman the Magnificent was a head of state, a poet, a reformer of the military and a goldsmith. His reign had a significant impact on the law, literature and art of the Ottoman Empire. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 02 2014

London is no stranger to smog, which is why when the Great London Smog descended in December of 1952, nobody quite realized anything unusual was going on. At its largest, it extended 30 kilometers around London, and it killed thousands of people. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 30 2014

Herschel managed to break the barrier of women in scientific fields far earlier than you might suspect, in part because of her association with her brother, and in equal measure due to her steadfast dedication to her work. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 25 2014

The Asante-British war of 1900 capped about 100 years of war between Great Britain and the Asante Empire, which occupied part of what is now Ghana. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 23 2014

On Sept. 19, 1356, one of the decisive battles of the Hundred Years War took place in France. It was the first major battle after almost a decade of relative quiet, and it stacked a small English army against a French military three times its size. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 18 2014

Edna St. Vincent Millay was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry and was one of the Guggenheim Foundation's judges for its poetry fellowships. And she managed to make a great deal of money as a poet in the middle of the Great Depression. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 16 2014

Known as Vincent to family and friends, Edna St. Vincent Millay grew up poor, caring for the household and her sisters while her mother worked. From an early age, she showed incredible talent and sowed the seeds of a life of passion and impressive poetry. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 11 2014

Because the Sultana sank the day after John Wilkes Booth was captured and killed for the murder of Abraham Lincoln, it didn't make headline news. But it's considered the biggest maritime disaster in U.S. history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 09 2014

In the 1930s a New York socialite had a dream. She wanted to be the first person to capture a panda from Asia and return to the western world with it. Her quest had a significant impact on the way the Western world viewed wild animals. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 04 2014

This document -- a treaty between the British the Maori -- established New Zealand as a nation. The spirit of the agreement was to see to the best interests of both the Maori and the Crown, but a hurried translation of the document led to some confusion. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 02 2014

Sept. 1, 1923 changed Japan forever when a devastating earthquake obliterated Yokohama and much of Tokyo, killing more than 140,000. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 28 2014

This episode breaks our rule of thumb about covering fairly recent history. In 1988, the appointment of a hearing president at Gallaudet University sparked a protest that changed the course of both the school and deaf culture in America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 26 2014

In 1883, a mysterious beast was spotted in Arizona and trampled a woman. First described a a demon, the creature turned out to be a camel. But what was it doing in the American Southwest in the first place? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 21 2014

Joseph Oller was an entrepreneur with an incredible head for business. He revolutionized gambling practices as a young man, and also opened the most famous burlesque house of all time -- The Moulin Rouge. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 19 2014

Between 1854 and 1929, about 250,000 children in the U.S. were taken to new families by train. Except ... they weren't called "orphan trains" at the time, the children weren't all orphans, and "family" didn't always factor into it. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 14 2014

Many forensic investigation standards of today have roots in the work of a Chicago heiress who was more interested in crime scenes than high society. Her most notable contribution to the field came in the form of tiny homicide dioramas. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 12 2014

The 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, which killed somewhere between 20 million and 50 million people, started just as World War I was winding down. Nobody cured it, or really successfully treated it. A fifth of the people in the world got the flu during the pandemic. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 07 2014

Our ongoing update series covers a more recent topic: Even though our Voynich Manuscript episode was just a little more than a year ago, the inscrutable book has been in the news a lot since then. What are the latest theories? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 05 2014

Since the 2009 episode on Blackbeard, a lot of new information has come to light about the life of the infamous pirate. We'll catch you up on the latest, then listen to the original episode for review. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 30 2014

Just about a year ago, the FBI informed the press about new developments in the case of the massive art theft in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum that took place on March 18, 1990. We'll cover the updates, then hear the original episode on the theft. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 28 2014

Algebra doesn't have one single origin point -- it developed over time and in multiple places, with many mathematicians contributing. One of those contributors was an 8th-century scholar from Baghdad named Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 23 2014

While most of the survivors of the Batavia were scattered on a few tiny islands off the coast of Australia, a small group went all the way to Indonesia to get help.Meanwhile, a gruesome scenario was playing out among those they left behind. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 21 2014

The story of the Batavia is a perfect storm of nautical carnage: There's a shipwreck, a mutiny and a massacre. This first of two parts deals with the the first part of the voyage, the shipwreck and the rescue mission. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 16 2014

It was the biggest shipping disaster in Cayman Islands history -- 10 ships went down together one night in 1794. Why would so many ships be traveling so closely to one another, and how did they all end up in peril? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 14 2014

Accounts of teleportation, alchemy and even immortality swirl around the legend of Count of Saint-Germain. Was he a spy? A concealed royal? A skilled con man? Or just a compulsive liar? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 09 2014

In 1859, the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over an issue that seems more likely to spark a feud between Hatfields and McCoys: An American settler shot a Canadian pig that was rooting around his garden. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 07 2014

A handsome playboy who once courted Queen Elizabeth I, Eric started his time as king with focus and ambition. But his paranoia led him to alienate the aristocracy, fall into violent rages and stab a captive noble to death. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 02 2014

While the crucifixion of Jesus is the most most well-known instance of this type of execution, crucifixion was a practice that was both common and taboo all over the Greco-Roman world for almost 1,000 years. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 31 2014

The legendary wardrobe of Marie-Antoinette has been criticized, envied and discussed to no end. But where did all those glorious clothes come from? In large part, they were the work of Rose Bertin, a milliner who found herself the stylist to the queen. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 26 2014

Ambrose Bierce was a soldier, a journalist, an editor, a satirist and a philosopher. He was a complicated man with an unwavering moral code and a life of experiences both fantastic and horrific, which informed his writing. Read the show note for this episode here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 24 2014

It's not a story of a person with a childhood dream of pursuing a career that wasn't available to them. Dr. Blackwell had no interest in medicine as a child. But she paved the way for women who came after her and changed the face of medicine in the U.S. Read the show notes for this episode here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2014

Foot binding was practiced in China for more than 1,000 years -- far longer than can be attributed to a mere cultural or fashion fad. Why did such an extreme type of body modification become such an ingrained part of the culture for so long? Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 17 2014

"No taxation without representation" is often thought of as the main beef that led to the American Revolution, but it was only one of many moving parts in the bigger picture. Read the show notes for this episode here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 12 2014

After WWII ended, efforts were resumed to conquer Everest, but it took many, many teams and missions to reach the summit. Eventually, a bee keeper and a Sherpa achieved that loftiest of goals. But what's happened on Everest since then? You can read the show notes for this episode here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 10 2014

Once a British survey effort identified Peak XV of the Himalayan range as the highest point on Earth, a committee was formed with one goal: Get to the top. Early expeditions gathered data and made runs up the mountain, until WWII put a halt to things. Here are the show notes for the episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 05 2014

She was not a shy spinster who wrote some little books mostly to amuse her own family. She also was not a real-life Elizabeth Bennett. Jane Austen's life was very different from any of her heroines. Here's a link to our show notes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 03 2014

In the 1880s, James Reavis launched one of the most ambitious fraud schemes of all time when he claimed a huge part of the Arizona Territory as his own. He forged and planted evidence to back up his claim and came to be called the Baron of Arizona. Here's a link to the show notes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 26 2014

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters became the first African-American labor union to be recognized by the American Federation of Labor. What started as a campaign for more money and better treatment became an important force for social change. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 24 2014

The 1930 vanishing of Joseph Force Crater is considered one of the largest missing person cases in U.S. history, and has fueled decades of speculation about what exactly happened to the New York State Supreme Court justice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 19 2014

While Duplessis had ingratiated himself to voters as a man of the people, he was not exactly viewed as a saint. He's often described as a man who wanted to be both loved and feared, and numerous controversies are associated with him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 17 2014

Maurice Duplessis is described as everything from a lovable rogue to a political beast. He served as Premier of Quebec for longer than any other politician in the 20th century;his time in office is known as "The Great Darkness." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 12 2014

Abelard was a poet, philosopher and theologian; Heloise was one of his students. This is a tragic love story, complete with lovers forced apart, a secret marriage, a castration and repeated exhumations. Happy Valentine's Day! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 10 2014

Casanova led a life so full of sex and adventure that today we call any particularly charismatic and successful lover by his name. But he was also. smart and witty, traveled and wrote extensively, and had a hand in all kinds of aristocratic intrigue. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 05 2014

Rosa's arrest for breaking bus segregation laws catalyzed the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the keystones in the American Civil Rights Movement. It was widely covered in the national media, which brought more attention to the struggle for equal rights. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 03 2014

Anyone who has ever heard about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States is sure to know that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus. But that's but a tiny sliver of her life story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 29 2014

Crown Prince Sado of Korea -- sometimes called Korea's "Coffin King" -- has been described as insane, depraved and sadistic, but when you examine his short life, it's more complicated than a list of acts of savagery (though there are plenty of those). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 27 2014

History is written by the victors. But one big exception to that conventional wisdom is the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which Native Americans rose up against Spanish colonists and missionaries at the turn of the 17th century. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 22 2014

You may never have heard of him, but Avicenna was one of the first, and probably the most influential, Islamic philosopher-scientists. He's listed among the great philosophers in Dante's Inferno and is mentioned in the prologue to the Canterbury Tales. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 20 2014

So how did Ancient Egyptians actually embalm their dead? Thanks in large part to Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus, we have some great descriptions of what happened to the deceased. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 15 2014

When the S.S. Arctic joined the Collins line fleet in the 1850s, it was by all accounts a glorious ship. But in 1854, the steamer collided with another ship in a fog, and the resulting panic led to the deaths of most of the passengers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 13 2014

The Battle of Hastings is often boiled it down to a sentence: The Normans invaded Britain in 1066, and their victory ended the Anglo-Saxon phase of English history. But of course, that brief description really doesn't do the event justice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 08 2014

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier was a chemist, biologist, geologist, physiologist, and economist. But at the end of the day, he's most often referred to as the father of modern chemistry. He also was smack dab in the middle of the French Revolution. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 06 2014

Time for something completely different! There are a few questions that we get asked over and over. Today, we answer four of the most-common queries posed to us in our listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 01 2014

The second part of 2013's historical finds includes items unearthed by animals, amateurs and ultra-modern science. Lead coffins, rare torpedoes and mass graves are featured. And of course, there's discussion of everyone's favorite topic: exhumations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 30 2013

What historical revelations revealed themselves in 2013? So many, we need two episodes to cover them all. From Viking jewelry to lost Doctor Who episodes and -- of course -- bodies in car parks, history showed up in some surprising places this year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 25 2013

During the terrible winter of 1880 and 1881, which was immortalized in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "The Long Winter." Laura, both real and fictional, was going on fourteen. And the winter she wrote about was a real event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 23 2013

For many people, Laura Ingalls Wilder is the primary source of information of what life was like for white people on the American frontier. But she had a whole life as a novelist beyond the youth that unfolded in the books. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 18 2013

Why did lions in the Tsavo region start to attack humans in the first place? Modern behavioral and scientific research has given us some surprising insights into the causes of the 1898 attacks as well as modern lion attacks in the same area. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 16 2013

In 1898, two male lions killed and ate dozens of people in Tsavo and shut down construction of the Uganda Railroad. Lt. Col. John H. Patterson, a civil engineer working on the project, made it his personal mission to stop the feline scourge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 11 2013

The second half of the Axman story involves his famous letter to the New Orleans Times-Picayune warning that he would descend on the city, but would spare anyone with a live jazz band playing in their house. But had the Axman been murdering before 1918? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 09 2013

In 1918 and 1919, a rash of attacks had all of New Orleans on edge. While the Axman has turned up in modern storytelling, no fiction could top the real story of late-night break-ins and assaults by a mystery assailant who was never caught. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 04 2013

Thanks to the pillow book of lady-in-waiting Sei Shonagon, we have a first-person account of court life in Heian Japan. It's part diary, part commonplace book, part essay collection, and thoroughly fascinating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 02 2013

The name "Boston Massacre" sounds as though it was the slaughter of a bunch of innocents in colonial Boston. The reality is much smaller - and not nearly so one-sided. But there's a reason why we call it a massacre. And that reason is propaganda. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 27 2013

Our focus today is on a woman who was actually covered in the podcast several years ago. But she's a figure so mythic and with so many variations to her story that we wanted to give her another look and a little more time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 25 2013

If you've only seen the Hessians referenced in movies or TV, you probably don't have a clear picture of who these very capable soldiers actually were. Hessian troops were skilled, disciplined armies for hire, and a huge economic boon for their homeland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 20 2013

Smallpox has been around longer than recorded history. It killed royalty, shifted the tides of battles, and was so terrifying that many religions have gods, saints and martyrs associated with it. And Edward Jenner gets the credit for changing all that. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 18 2013

Despite all the publicity surrounding the shooting of John F. Kennedy, the identity of one witness has remained elusive for decades. Beverly Oliver has claimed to be the "babushka lady," but there's still no concrete evidence to prove her assertion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 13 2013

He was an art patron. He loved science. He spoke many languages. He was also known for a dark temper and instability, and his poor decisions as a ruler are credited with leading to the Thirty years War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 11 2013

There are many amazing, heroic stories of people who risked everything to protect Jews and other people at risk before and during the holocaust. A few turned to particularly ingenious, unexpected or daring plans to save people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 06 2013

In addition to being a poet, Audre was a teacher, speaker, wife and mother, and become an influential presence in the feminist movement. She also wrote candidly about her battle with cancer in her groundbreaking work, "The Cancer Journals." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 04 2013

Audre Lorde called herself a "black feminist lesbian mother poet warrior," but for a lot of people, she's best known for the "poet" part. She was way ahead of her time on a lot of social fronts, including feminism, gay rights, and the sexual revolution. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 30 2013

From timid girl to trailblazer, Sophie Blanchard became famous in the early 1800s as the first woman to become a career balloonist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 28 2013

From 1916 to about 1927, a strange epidemic spread around the world. It caused unusual symptoms, from drastic behavior changes to a deep, prolonged sleep that could last for months. Between 20 and 40 percent of people who caught the disease died. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 23 2013

The second installment in the story of the Haunted Mansion going from concept to fully-realized theme park attraction covers the reboot the team went through after the World's Fair and the loss of their leader. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 21 2013

One of the most iconic Disney park attractions -- the Haunted Mansion -- had a development process that was anything but smooth. Budget and scheduling issues and creative differences dogged the project for almost two decades. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 16 2013

After her unconventional upbringing, Elsa's career as a performer began to take off in the late 1920s, around the same time she met her husband. But the role that would define her image came in 1935. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 14 2013

You may not know her name, but her image is famous. As the love interest for Dr. Frankenstein's monster in "The Bride of Frankenstein," Elsa Lanchester became a film icon, but her life story is as interesting as any cinema fiction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 09 2013

Alan L. Hart was a doctor, writer, and prominent figure in the fields of radiology and tuberculosis control. He was also one of the first people in the U.S. to have surgery in an effort to transition to a different gender than the one he had been assigned at birth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 07 2013

Sweeney Todd is a well-known fictional character, a murderous barber who colludes with a cook to bake his victims into pies. There are many instances of the demon barber story being touted as a tale based in real-life events, but how true is that? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 02 2013

Like any grand old hotel, the Grove Park Inn has quite a history, involving real medicine, patent medicine, famous writers and inventors, several wars, and even a ghost story. The luxury spa exists thanks largely to two diseases: malaria and tuberculosis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 30 2013

Starting in the late 1700s and running for a century, small rural communities in New England were sometimes stricken with a panicked fear that the dead were somehow feeding off the living, and many graves were exhumed in the hopes of ending the attacks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 25 2013

The second part of the Luis Alvarez episode covers his time as part of the Manhattan Project designing detonators for atomic bombs. Beyond his controversial work, Alvarez also contributed to particle physics, mystery solving and paleontology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 23 2013

Luis Alvarez was a physicist whose broad interests connected him to some of the 20th century's most influential moments, including the bombing of Hiroshima and the assassination of JFK. His diverse work led to the nickname "the wild idea man of physics." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 18 2013

Phylo T. Farnsworth is called the "Father of Television" -- his initial idea for electronic television came to him as a teen. He's also become something of an icon representing the little guy -- he battled big business in in a patent suit. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 16 2013

Mendez v. Westminster fought the segregation of Mexican-American students in the state of California in the 1940s -- and it went on pave the way for the much more famous Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 11 2013

In 1848, Phineas Gage experienced a catastrophic brain injury and survived -- though altered -- for more than 11 years. Over time, he morphed into one of the world's most famous case studies in how damage to the brain can affect behavior. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 09 2013

Marie Taglioni is considered THE ballerina of the Romantic era. She's often credited with revolutionizing, restyling and redefining dance, though her father was a significant part of those achievements. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 04 2013

Chester was the first African American war correspondent working for a major daily paper, covering the U.S. Civil War. He also had a troubled relationship with the colonization movement, and spent years striving for equal rights for African Americans Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 02 2013

About 200 miles southeast of Lima, Peru, between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, there are lines etched into the desert. The glyphs have remained intact for centuries, and have been avidly studied since their discovery in the late 1920s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 28 2013

Jane Addams was a leader and advocate, especially for the working poor - but her work really boiled down to a better quality of life for everyone. Part two covers her life beyond Hull House, controversial war stance, Nobel Prize and legacy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 26 2013

Jane Addams was one of the foremost women in America's Progressive Era. She co founded the social settlement Hull House, spoke and wrote on social issues, and had a hand in the founding of many social organizations, including the NAACP and ACLU. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 21 2013

Sir Joseph Paxton was a 19th-century botanist who became instantly famous for the hall he designed for the Great Expo of 1851. After the expo, the Crystal Palace moved to a new location and became the centerpiece of the world's first theme park. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 19 2013

In the years after the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War, the oyster supply became so scarce that people turned to oyster piracy. The bloodshed peaked in the late 1800s, but the strife went on for almost 100 years. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 14 2013

The Hope Diamond is well traveled, but is it cursed? Does it have mystical powers? Why does it glow red after exposure to UV light? Analysis of the curse stories and chemical composition of the gem yield interesting results. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 12 2013

The Hope Diamond has traveled across continents, been stolen in revolutions, and was even the signature accessory of a wealthy heiress for nearly four decades. The first part of the discussion covers the stone's history up to the modern era. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 07 2013

The Flannan Islands have been rumored for centuries to be haunted or have some supernatural darkness. In 1900, three men vanished from the lighthouse on Eilean Mor, leaving behind an unfinished meal and a mystery that's never been conclusively solved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 05 2013

Hypatia was one of the earliest female mathematicians and astronomers -- though she wasn't the very first, she was among the greatest. At the time of her murder, she was the foremost mathematician and astronomer in the West - possibly in the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 31 2013

Charley Parkhurst was a stagecoach whip who spent almost 20 years handling teams of horses over treacherous terrain at high speeds. After his death in 1879, his friends who came to lay out his body discovered that Charley was anatomically female. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 29 2013

In 1900, a shipwreck was discovered near the island of Antikythera, including an assortment of luxury goods: statues, silver coins, vases ... and what turned out to be an amazing 2,000-year-old mechanism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 24 2013

There is actually some disagreement about the actual origin point of ice cream, but almost everyone agrees it's delicious. The real origin story is a culmination of many cultures and ingredients coming together to fill the need for a frosty treat. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 22 2013

It was the only planet to have been discovered by an American, but it's no longer classified as a planet. Who found Pluto, and how did astronomers even know to look for the so-called Planet X on the edge of our solar system? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 17 2013

An accomplished bacteriologist, Selman Waksman and his students and colleagues isolated many new antibiotics in the 1940s, including streptomycin and neomycin, earning him the nickname Father of Antibiotics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 15 2013

Boudica was a queen of the Iceni who staged either a successful rebellion against the Romans or a massacre, depending on who's talking. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 10 2013

A member of the South Australian Mounted Police, George "Poddy" Aiston was a friend to and advocate for Aboriginal peoples, a fairly accomplished photographer, and the owner of a fully-stocked store in the middle of nowhere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 08 2013

Felicia the ferret, who helped Fermilab in the early '70s, has been popping up in online stories and social media lately. How did she come to work in a particle physics facility, and what other animals made their homes there? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 03 2013

The Luddite uprising was a series of protests in northern England, in which workers smashed machines in mills and factories. This wasn't the first organized violence against mechanization, but Luddites are the most infamous of all the machine-breakers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 01 2013

While his last name is famous for breakfast cereal, John Harvey Kellogg was a 19th-century doctor with some unique (and groundbreaking) beliefs about health and wellness.His Battle Creek Sanitarium was home to anything but treatment as usual. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 26 2013

Long before Czech playwright Karel Capek coined the term "robot" in his 1920 play "R.U.R.," mechanized creations -- automata -- were being created without electronics or computers. Many were simple, but they paved the way for the robots of today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 24 2013

She's often referred to as a cursed ghost ship. The history of the Mary Celeste features one unfortunate incident after another. While this vessel is most famous for an incident involving a disappearing crew, there's much more to the life of this brig. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 19 2013

In the mid-1800s, the poorest people in Ireland ate almost nothing but potatoes. Other crops were for selling. So when a blight cut a swath through the potato crop, the impact was severe, and politics played a significant role in the tragedy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 17 2013

The history lesson kids often get on the Irish Potato Famine could be summed up as "a blight destroyed the potato crops, and a lot of people starved or moved away." Most kids ask, "Why didn't they eat something else?" Good question. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 11 2013

French designer Paul Poiret's work, which was often avante-garde, changed the fashion world in significant ways. He got rid of corsets, introduced the concept of lifestyle branding, and used draping rather that tailoring to create his dramatic designs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 10 2013

Despite having almost no official schooling and being a man of color in Colonial America, Benjamin Banneker turned out to be such an accomplished scholar that schools and professorships are named after him today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 05 2013

Robin Hood-style characters have been showing up in literature since the 14th century. Historians disagree about whether there was any truth to the legend, and we're wondering: Was Robin Hood real, and if so, who was he? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 03 2013

The Phoenicians were great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they're most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. What drove a merchant culture to switch from cuneiform to a new writing system? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 28 2013

"It was a culture clash of epic proportions. The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising, was a gruesome, violent slaughter of Chinese Christians and foreigners - followed by a gruesome, violent slaughter of the Boxers.
" Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 27 2013

In the 1840s, Boston's West Roxbury suburb -- which was completely rural at the time -- was home to an experiment in transcendentalist utopian living: the Brook Farm community. The idea was to create an environment of balance and equality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 22 2013

Vladimir I is often credited with bringing Christianity to Russia, though he actually embraced paganism first as Grand Prince of Kievan Rus. Wishing to unite Russia under one religion, Vladimir changed the spiritual path of his country forever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 20 2013

Though it's most famous for its rats, the story of this temple starts with Hindu goddess Durga and Karni Mata, a 15th-century mystic believed to be her incarnation. The reason for the rats in Karni Mata's temple is a combination of legend and devotion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 15 2013

After becoming a concubine for Emperor Xianfeng at the age of 16, Cixi rose to power when he died and her young son inherited the throne. She governed China from behind a screen for more than 45 years, and eventually sealed the fate of the Qing Dynasty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 13 2013

On May 1, 2013, forensic evidence confirmed what survivors had reported: Colonists at Jamestown resorted to cannibalism during the winter of 1609-1610, known as the Starving Time. But the colony of Jamestown was troubled from the start. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 08 2013

The human culture shift to an agricultural lifestyle started the domestication of animals. Cats naturally moved in to help with rodents. Today, there are 600 million cats living with humans, and another estimated 600 million living independent of people. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 06 2013

The Hindenburg tragedy is one of the world's most infamous air disasters, but the dirigible had many successful flights prior to its final voyage, including 10 round trips between Germany and the U.S. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 01 2013

In 1717, Stede Bonnet left his family and became a pirate. Despite having no seafaring experience, Bonnet's brief career as a pirate was eventful, including a stint aboard Blackbeard's ship and raids along the Atlantic coast of North America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 29 2013

Though she was Canadian, Sarah Emma Edmonds fought for the Union during the Civil War. She adopted the name Franklin Thompson while traveling. Disguised as a man, she enlisted and began a career as a nurse, courier and spy (if you believe her memoir). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 24 2013

Princess Alexandra Amelie of Bavaria was part of the House of Wittelsbach. The princess was frail, and she exhibited unusual behavior. She told her parents that she had swallowed a glass piano as a child, and was afraid that she would shatter. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 22 2013

In 1725, Beringer was the University of Würzburg's chair of natural history and chief physician to the prince bishop. He was also unpopular, and some of his colleagues sought to discredit him. There are two versions of the story -- but which is true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 17 2013

Mildred and Richard Loving's relationship went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court when they were arrested for breaking Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws. On June 20, 1963, Mildred wrote a letter to the ACLU asking for help. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 15 2013

Mildred and Richard Loving's relationship went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court when they were arrested for breaking Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws. On June 20, 1963, Mildred wrote a letter to the ACLU asking for help. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 10 2013

When teachers Mildred and Patty Hill's song "Good Morning to All" was published in 1893, there was no public performance right for songs. After the tune was paired with the birthday lyrics, its popularity soared and sparked a tremendous copyright battle. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 08 2013

Cheese has been around for more than 9,000 years. But how did humans learn to make it? Journey with Tracy and Holly to ancient Anatolia, where, people had begun to store milk in pottery and take other steps that set the stage for this delicious invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 03 2013

On Oct. 27, 1845 Mary Ann Bickford's body was found in her Boston boardinghouse room. Her paramour Albert J. Tirrell was eventually charged with murder. Tirrell hired Rufus Choate to defend him, and Choate claimed his client had episodes of somnambulism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 01 2013

Many English settlers brought animals and plants to Australia, including rabbits. The rabbit population exploded, and rabbit-controlling fences were started by the 1880s. Work on the State Barrier Fence began in 1901, and it's still maintained today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 29 2013

After World War I, Australian and British soldiers moved to rural Australia. In 1932, about 20,000 emus began making their way through Campion and Walgoolan, severely damaging wheat farms. The military tried to help, but may have just made things worse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 27 2013

The mechanization of stitching happened by way a series of inventions, several of which finally came together. Though Elias Howe is often credited with inventing the sewing machine, his invention had more to do with the combination of existing ideas. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 25 2013

Decades before the Salem trials, an East Hampton woman was tried for witchcraft. Before Lion Gardiner's daughter died, she accused Goody Garlick of bewitching her. Goody Garlick had hearings in two towns, during which she was accused of other bewitchings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 20 2013

The Suquamish chief is best remembered for a speech he gave upon discovering that Governor Stevens wanted land to build a railroad. However, the speech's origins are nebulous (and in some quotations completely fabricated). Tune in to learn. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 18 2013

The image of Johnny Appleseed walking around in rags, barefooted with a bindle, planting apple trees and moving on is actually pretty accurate. Join Holly and Tracy to learn how John Chapman struck out for the frontier and became an American legend. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 13 2013

The Voynich manuscript is named after Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912 from a Jesuit library. There are many theories as to what this book from the 1400s contains, but no one knows whether it's a cypher text, a lost language or gibberish. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 11 2013

Born in the 1300s, Margery had 14 children with her husband before dedicating her life to God. In her 40s, she began a vision-inspired pilgrimage to visit holy sites, and these travels became the basis for her spiritual autobiography, Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 06 2013

While Al Swearengen's notoriety comes from his famous saloon, his early experiences all informed his later life. Join Tracy and Holly as they examine the life and times of Al Swearengen in the second part of this series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 04 2013

Al Swearengen has become a widely-recognized figure in the time of the Black Hills gold rush. While his notoriety comes from his famous saloon, his early experiences as a pioneer child, 100-days man and apprentice barkeep all informed his later life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 27 2013

In 2013, experts identified the remains of King Richard III, one of England's most notorious rulers. Shakespeare wrote the king as a nephew-killing, hunchbacked villain, but Richard's real life was a complicated mixture of ambition, ruthlessness and fear. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 25 2013

Long before Benedict XVI's resignation, Benedict IX resigned. Benedict IX was one of the youngest (and most notorious) men ever to become pope, and his abuse of power was legendary. He became pope three times and sold the title at one point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 20 2013

The Victorian age offered few opportunities for Black-Britons, making Pablo Fanque's circus all the more impressive. Born William Darby, he was a talented equestrian performer, acrobat and show-runner. In fact, one Fanque's playbills inspired John Lennon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 18 2013

Okichi's story is filled with embellishment and hazy details. Sent to serve Townsend Harris, the first U.S. Consul to Japan, she was shunned after Harris left. Yet Okichi is now honored with an annual festival and has become a national symbol. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 13 2013

By the time he was 19, Potter had preserved and mounted 98 birds. In 1880, his work had grown to a point where it had to be moved to a building, which became his museum. Potter's museum collection continues to enthrall collectors and enthusiasts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 11 2013

A week after releasing his debut novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald married Southern Belle Zelda Sayre. But Fitzgerald's drinking and Zelda's mental state led to fights, debt and writers' block. Join Sarah and Holly as they trace the lives of F. Scott and Zelda. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 06 2013

By 1887, Nikola Tesla secured seven patents for components of his alternating current system. In 1888, George Westinghouse offered to hire Tesla to develop the AC system, and that's when the Current War really got underway. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 04 2013

In 1857 Nikola Tesla began work on direct current motor issues. In 1884, he approached Thomas Edison with ideas about alternating current, but Edison championed direct current. Their disagreement led to one of history's most famous scientific rivalries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 30 2013

Most people know the story of President Lincoln's assassination, but what happened afterward? In this podcast, we cover John Wilkes Booth's escape, his co-conspirators' attacks against other officials and the strange connections between Booth and Lincoln. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 28 2013

In 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines flight 305. He received a ransom of $200,000 -- and then jumped out in midair. Over the years, the FBI has searched for Cooper with little luck. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 23 2013

Dogs have been used in war for a long time and are still used today. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina look at five war dogs known for their strength, loyalty and intelligence. Tune in to learn more about war dogs from World War I through Vietnam. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 21 2013

Ned Kelly's cropped up in the news again, but who was he? The bushranger Ned Kelly became an outlaw in 1878, and his gang successfully conducted several raids. Tune in to learn why many Australians think of him as a folk hero in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 16 2013

Historical hoaxes are surprisingly common. For example, a N.Y. cigar maker once commissioned a gypsum skeleton to pass off as a 10-foot-tall petrified man called the Cardiff Giant. Join Deblina and Sarah as they explore the Cardiff Giant, Clever Hans, the Cottingley Fairies, David Wyrick, Mary Toft's bunny births and the Newark Holy Stones. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 14 2013

By the 1840s, London faced a sanitation crisis. One summer the stench of the Thames drove Parliament to soak their curtains in lime, an experience that led to funding for a modern sewer system. Tune in to learn about modern toilets, germ theory and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 09 2013

In Part 2 of this podcast, we examine the tactics rival paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh used in their battle to achieve preeminence. Ultimately, the men took their war to D.C. and the press. In the end, did either win? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 07 2013

James Armistead was a slave in Virginia, but got his master's approval to enlist when the Revolutionary War came. Armistead worked as a spy, and his story is one of many free and enslaved African-Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 02 2013

In the second part of this annual episode, we cover historical discoveries made in 2012, from evidence of vampire burials in Bulgaria to discoveries of ancient temples and more. Tune in to learn more about the exciting archaeological discoveries of 2012. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 31 2012

In this two-part podcast, we explore the rivalry between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. Marsh was a farmer's son and Cope grew up in a wealthy household. The two started out as friends, but their friendship soon soured. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 26 2012

In this episode, we look back on some of the biggest historical news of 2012s. Tune in to learn how researchers revealed new theories regarding mercury's involvement in Tycho Brahe's death, and startling insights into the Great Wall of China. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 21 2012

King Wenceslas is best known as a Christmas carol, but he was a real 10th-century Bohemian prince. Wenceslas was known for his kindness to children and promotion of Christianity, but he was murdered at only 22. Listen in to learn more about the Good King. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 19 2012

In this second part of our series, Juana has become her mother's unlikely heir. Just a few years after inheriting Castile, she is declared insane and imprisoned. But was she actually mad? And why didn't her son free her when he came to power? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 17 2012

In this episode, Sarah and Deblina take a world tour of some of the world's most ancient, mysterious and historically influential underground cities. Listen in to learn more about subterranean cities around the globe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 12 2012

Juana of Castile has gone down in history as "Juana la Loca." But Juana's mental state was likely not as bad as it seemed. Was she instead the victim of conniving relatives? In this episode, we discuss Juana's youth, her marriage and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 10 2012

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam gave way, sending 20 million tons of water rushing toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The water swept up everything in its path, and it only took about 10 minutes to wash away Johnstown. But was nature solely to blame? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 05 2012

In this episode, we tell the story of Cynthia Ann Parker's son, the Comanche war chief Quanah Parker. Quanah led Comanche forces until his defeat at Adobe Walls. He then encouraged his people to settle on the reservation, refusing to sacrifice his culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 03 2012

In an update to this podcast about the mutiny that took place aboard the HMS Bounty in 1789, we discuss the fate of the replica Bounty made in 1962. During Hurricane Sandy, the Bounty was headed from Connecticut to Florida. But what happened next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 28 2012

A Comanche raiding party kidnapped Cynthia Ann when she was 9 years old. She lived with Comanche parents, marrying a war chief and having children. But her family never stopped searching for her. As word of her story spread, her son Quanah rose to power. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 26 2012

Part 2 of this series follows Gertrude Bell on her adventures after World War I begins. The British army asked her to help them retain their influence in the Middle East. But how did she get from there to helping found modern Iraq? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 26 2012

Upset with the prospect of a demotion, the Chevalier d'Eon published his diplomatic correspondence. Worried that d'Eon might reveal the King's Secret, Louis XV desperately negotiated d'Eon's return -- with one catch: the Chevalier had to become a woman. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 19 2012

Gertrude Bell was the first woman to graduate with a First in Modern History from Oxford. Instead of marrying young, she went to Persia. Inspired, she traveled across the Middle East on numerous exploratory treks. But would it last in a time of war? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 14 2012

Recently, London's National Portrait Gallery acquired a portrait of the Chevalier d'Eon, the first oil painting in its collection to feature a man in women's clothing. Learn how Louis XV's underground foreign policy led d'Eon to acquire a female identity. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 12 2012

Johann Konrad Dippel was born in 1673 at Frankenstein Castle. Originally a theology student, Dippel began dabbling in chemistry, medicine and alchemy. Today he's remembered for creating a panacea that was used on a variety of ailments. How did he do it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 07 2012

During World War II, Allied troops often listened to Japanese propaganda, and they nick-named the English-speaking, female broadcasters "Tokyo Rose." After the war, the hunt to find them was on -- and Iva d'Aquino found herself on trial for treason. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 05 2012

In December of 1926, Agatha Christie left her home and vanished: Police found her car crashed and abandoned. An 11-day manhunt commenced and speculation ran rampant -- but when she was finally found - alive - there were more questions than answers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 31 2012

In the winter of 1873, Alferd Packer led gold prospectors into the Rockies, but harsh conditions soon set them off course. Packer was the only survivor, and he looked oddly well-fed. He claimed he'd killed in self-defense. But was he guilty of murder? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 29 2012

In the early 1760s, the so-called Cock Lane Ghost haunted a London home, communicating through knocks. The ghost accused her former partner of poisoning her. However, as more details emerged people wondered if the haunting was an act of earthly revenge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 24 2012

In 1692, girls in Salem Village experienced fevers, pains and strange behavior. A doctor deemed the affliction supernatural, and the girls pinned the blame on several people. These accusations led to a witch hunt -- but what was really to blame? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 22 2012

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the tragic histories behind some homes are enough to send a chill down your spine. In this episode, we look into the real stories behind five historic houses that are believed to be haunted. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 17 2012

When Mary Frances Creighton was arrested for poisoning her brother, the tabloids went crazy, comparing her to Lucrezia Borgia. Mary was also accused of poisoning her mother-in-law and her work caught up with her when she struck again, years later. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 15 2012

In 1834 a fire broke out at the Lalaurie house in New Orleans. Firefighters found mistreated slaves inside, and the family was banished. Wild rumors spread afterward, and now it's known as the most haunted house in America -- but are the rumors true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 10 2012

Jim Bowie is known as a hero of the Alamo, but he made his name in a duel-gone-wrong: He came away with several wounds, but also with a reputation as fearsome knife-fighter. So how did he become a Texan legend? And what's the story behind the Bowie knife? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 08 2012

Before children went door-to-door, Celts kept out evil spirits during the festival of Samhain. Halloween evolved over time, but trick-or-treating didn't emerge until the 20th century. Join Sarah and guest host Cristen as they trace Halloween's history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 03 2012

In this episode, PopStuff co-host Holly Frey joins in to discuss undergarments through the ages, from the utilitarian shirt to the body-changing corset, split bloomers and more. We also talk about a recent discovery that's shaken up costume historians. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 01 2012

In this second episode with CarStuff's Scott Benjamin, we pick up at the height of Ford's success: The Model T is revolutionizing America. But he also obsessively controls his employees, becomes a noted anti-Semite and capitalizes on wartime contracts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 26 2012

Senator McCarthy's celebrity skyrocketed after he made his name denouncing spies. Fear and intimidation kept many from speaking out against him, but public opinion soon turned. Join Sarah and Ben as they discuss McCarthyism and the Hollywood Blacklist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 24 2012

In this episode, CarStuff's Scott Benjamin joins the show for a discussion of Henry Ford's early years, inventions and innovations. Yet as Ford's success grew, his willingness to change did not - and ultimately a darker side of his personality emerged. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 19 2012

Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy had a lackluster career - at least, that is, until he claimed the U.S. government was riddled with conspiratorial Communists. In this episode, Sarah and guest host Ben explore the hysteria-fueled rise of Joseph McCarthy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 17 2012

In 1938 Orson Welles produced a series of radio dramas, including one based on "War of the Worlds." The broadcast caused a mass panic, since many believed it was a real news program. In this episode, we discuss why so many mistook the show as real. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 12 2012

In this episode co-hosted by TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland, the focus is on the codes and cryptologists of World War II. Tune in to learn more about the Enigma Machine, Alan Turing, Code Talkers and more in the conclusion of this two-part episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 10 2012

Alan Turing conceived of computers decades before anyone was building one. He also acted as a top-secret code breaker during World War II. Despite his accomplishments, he was prosecuted as a homosexual by the British government. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 05 2012

In this special episode co-hosted by TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland, the focus is on the codes, cipher machines, and cryptologists of World War II. Tune in to learn more about the Enigma Machine, Alan Turing, Code Talkers and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 03 2012

Between in 1917, hundreds of women got jobs applying radium-treated paint to various products. Many experienced severe health problems. Five former workers decided to sue the U.S. Radium corporation, and faced a campaign of misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 29 2012

In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Jane explain how the Mayan long count calendar works. We also discuss some other doomsday prophesies from 1666 and 1910, when people feared Halley's Comet would poison them with gasses from its tail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 27 2012

Catastrophic storms are almost historical characters in their own right, leaving indelible marks on the places they affect. Here, we cover five of history's most destructive storms, including the Tri-state Tornado of 1925, the Great Hurricane of 1780, the Galveston hurricane of 1900, the Freshwater storm surge at Lake Okeechobee 1928 and the Bhola Cyclone of 1970. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 22 2012

In this episode, we revisit theories about the statues of Easter Island: the Moai. New evidence suggests that fewer than 20 people "walked" the Moai to their positions. This idea shakes up existing theories about the destruction of the island's resources. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 20 2012

Pretty Boy Floyd started out doing farm work, but in his late teens he ran off to try his hand at crime. He earned a Robin Hood-like reputation, and became famous for his supposed involvement in the Kansas City Massacre. But did he deserve the credit? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 15 2012

In 1892, a Massachusetts couple was brutally murdered; the only serious suspect was their daughter, Lizzie Borden. Borden was acquitted, but people have speculated about the crime ever since. Tune in to learn how new evidence might shed light on her case. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 13 2012

The Bender clan settled in Kansas in 1870, building a combined store and inn. They weren't popular. Only the comely Kate Bender drew admirers. When people began disappearing, the Benders weren't suspects ?? until a doctor vanished after visiting the inn. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 08 2012

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. In our own memorial to the Titanic's sinking, we revisit a classic episode from Candace and Jane, in which they explore the ship's tragic history. We'll also explore some recent Titanic research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 06 2012

Marguerite-Louise d'Orléans was the grandchild of the King of France, cousin of Louis XIV and eventually betrothed to Cosimo III de Medici. Her marriage was (to say the least) unstable. But how did she finally find herself back in France? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 01 2012

Most people associate the 1936 Berlin Olympics with African-American sprinter Jesse Owens. Yet the games were successful in terms of Nazi propaganda: More nations than ever participated, and the Olympic torch was used for the first time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 30 2012

After the Nazis invaded Kiev, a bakery owner asked some Ukrainian soccer players to form a team. Their team was pitted against occupying powers. Many say their crucial victory over the Germans led to their deaths. But how much of the story is true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 25 2012

In 1900 Paris Olympics are considered some of the strangest. Some sport historians don't even consider them true Olympic Games. Many of the events were so under-promoted, the athletes competing in them didn't know they were even in the Olympics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 23 2012

In this episode, we revisit a podcast on the first Olympics. The first Olympics featured familiar events, but also some lethal exhibitions. Married women were barred from watching the games, but victors could sometimes expect to receive meals for life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 18 2012

In a recent episode on George Arents, we asked listeners what kind of book collections they keep. We heard from people with interests ranging from mixology books to a library dedicated to Disney. We also learned about what these collections inspired. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 16 2012

In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Katie explore the events surrounding Amelia Earhart's mysterious disappearance in 1937, and possible theories as to what could have happened. We also cover new developments in this 75-year-old mystery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 11 2012

Of all the mysteries we've covered, the lost colony at Roanoke is one of the strangest. In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Josh recount Roanoke's story -- and there's a new development, one that may finally reveal the fate of the colonists. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 09 2012

Sophia Dorothea of Celle married her cousin, George I of Great Britain. Sophia had an affair with a Swedish count, and her in-laws decided to stop the couple from running away together. The ensuing events became known as the Königsmarck Affair. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 04 2012

After a night of shelling in the War of 1812, Baltimore was unsure if its fort had survived. At dawn, observers saw an American flag over the fort. Francis Scott Key composed a poem about the night -- and that poem eventually became the national anthem. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 02 2012

During the Gangster Era, many believed Ma Barker led the Barker Gang. In the late 1800s, Barker had four sons, two of whom joined the infamous Barker gang. But was Ma really the mastermind behind their criminal activities? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 27 2012

In this episode, Sarah and Deblina visit the Georgia Renaissance Festival. Interviews with musician Luca Callo and TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland give us an understanding of processes they use to recreate Renaissance characters, music and culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 25 2012

After John James Audubon finished his book, he sought out a publisher. While his image turned off Philadelphia's intellectuals, he charmed Great Britain. In this episode, curator Michael Inman joins us to explain the publication of Birds of America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 20 2012

When Hitler came to power in Germany, gays and lesbians were continually persecuted. Soon, homosexual men also faced prison time. Thousands were eventually arrested, and many wound up in concentration camps, where they were labeled with pink triangles. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 18 2012

Though John James Audubon was the son of a French planter, he cultivated the image of an American frontiersman. In this episode, New York Public Library curator Michael Inman joins us for a discussion of Audubon's early life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 13 2012

In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared for five days before he was found semi-conscious outside of a saloon. He died four days later, presumably from alcohol abuse. Over the years, many alternate cause-of-death theories have emerged. Which is most likely? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 11 2012

William Kidd had settled down by 1695, but privateering was still in his blood. He struck up a plan to attack pirates plaguing English ships and enlisted investors to back his efforts. Eventually he was declared a pirate. But did he deserve the label? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 06 2012

By 1887, Nikola Tesla secured seven patents for components of his alternating current system. In 1888, George Westinghouse offered to hire Tesla to develop the AC system, and that's when the Current War really got underway. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 04 2012

Laura Bridgman was the first deafblind person to be educated -- a feat accomplished by Samuel Gridley Howe in the 1830s. People from around the world came to see her, including Charles Dickens, who wrote about her in his "American Travels." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 30 2012

In 1857 Nikola Tesla began work on direct current motor issues. In 1884, he approached Thomas Edison with ideas about alternating current, but Edison championed direct current. Their disagreement led to one of history's most famous scientific rivalries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 28 2012

P.T. Barnum worked with many performers. Perhaps the most famous was the diminutive General Tom Thumb. Barnum also promoted Swedish singer Jenny Lind, but his biggest act was Jumbo the Elephant, an African elephant he bought from the London Zoo. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 23 2012

Operation Mincemeat aimed to relay false information to the Nazis by dropping a corpse where they would find it, along with fake documents. The British agents gave their corpse a backstory to make it more believable. But was the story too good to be true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 21 2012

The Pulitzer-winning play "Clybourne Park" took inspiration from Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin the Sun." In this episode, we talk to Clybourne Park's Tony-nominated director Pam MacKinnon about the work and historical research that went into the play. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 16 2012

P.T. Barnum is best known as a circus man, but he spent most of his career running a curiosity museum and staging freak shows. Barnum attracted people to his American Museum through shrewd advertising, or "humbug." He also wasn't afraid of a hoax. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 14 2012

Once the Allies invaded North Africa, the Nazis began planning. Both sides knew Sicily was the obvious choice for the next Allied invasion, so the Allies needed some subterfuge. Luckily, the British had an idea -- and all they needed was a dead body. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 09 2012

After a childhood spent roaming Europe, Freya Stark began saving money to take Arabic lessons. Once fluent, she traveled into areas few outsiders had ever been, documenting her travels in best-selling books. Listen in to learn more about Freya of Arabia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 07 2012

After the Japanese ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, regents and bureaucrats scrambled for power. The rivals Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari rallied supporters to face off in Sekigahara. Tokugawa emerged victorious. But what happened next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 02 2012

When Adam Worth stole a portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, he fell in love with the painting. But a botched theft in Belgium landed him in prison, where the story of his life reached Arthur Conan Doyle and inspired the character of Professor Moriarty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 30 2012

Dentist Horace Wells set up shop in Hartford in 1836, before the discovery of anasthesia. At an exhibition in 1844 he became certain that nitrous oxide could revolutionize medicine. He tried to demonstrate his findings... but things didn't go as planned. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 25 2012

Professor Moriarty was based on a real man: Adam Worth. After being falsely reported as dead during the Civil War, Worth began a life of crime. When Worth moved to London he began his Moriarty phase, but his peculiar criminal quirks led to his near ruin. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 23 2012

Amelia Earhart is the most well-known female aviator, but there were several notable female aviation pioneers. This episode talks about Raymonde de Laroche, Harriet Quimby, Jacqueline Cochran and Amy Johnson. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 18 2012

Ferdinand Demara took on several bogus personas throughout his imposter career -- everything from a professor to a monk. Demara stole the identities of regular people, and often performed their job duties. Tune in to learn more about the Great Imposter. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 16 2012

Although Lucas and Spielberg claim Indiana Jones was only inspired by adventure movies and pulp fiction, people have still suggested real-life inspirations. Tune in to learn more about several contenders, including Roy Chapman Andrews and Otto Rahn. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 11 2012

Beryl Markham was Africa's first female licensed racehorse trainer, but by the 1920s she'd found a new passion: flying. She went on to become Kenya's first female commercial pilot, and by 1936 she was ready to fly solo across the Atlantic. Or was she? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 09 2012

When gold mine heiress Louise Boyd staged her first Arctic expedition in the 1920s, she hunted polar bears with aristocrats. Yet she also met other explorers who encouraged her in more scientific pursuits. Listen in and learn more about her expeditions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 04 2012

How did advice from his great uncle inspire tobacco businessman George Arents to become one of the great contemporary bibliophiles? Listen in as Sarah and Deblina interview Michael Inman, the curator of the New York Public Library Rare Books Division. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 02 2012

After Jim Reed's death, Belle eventually married Sam Starr. Rumors circulated: Was Belle a barfly or a mom? In 1883, Belle and Sam served 9 months in prison for stealing horses. Tune in to learn how the Bandit Queen set out to turn her reputation around. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 28 2012

Charles Dickens is best known for chronicling life in London, but he also wrote about the United States - and not in a flattering light. When touring the U.S. and Canada with his wife, Dickens found many American customs repugnant. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 26 2012

Belle Starr is often remembered as a notorious outlaw who spent her free time carousing in saloons. But new accounts suggest that, while she wasn't a saint, she also wasn't the "female Jesse James" some biographers made her out to be. So what's the truth? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 21 2012

Roger Casement was an Irish-born British diplomat. He eventually became an Irish nationalist. After his arrest, he was sentenced to die. To stifle support for Casement, the government also released the "Black Diaries" which outed Casement as gay. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 19 2012

Frida Kahlo took pride in caring for her husband Diego. In 1930, the couple went to the United States. When they returned to Mexico, their rocky relationship affected Frida's health. As her marriage worsened, Frida's star in the art world gradually rose. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 14 2012

The Brontë sisters quickly rose from obscurity to notoriety after their three novels were published under the Bell pseudonym. Join Sarah and Deblina as they discuss the sisters' rise to fame and the scandalous suggestions about their lives and morals. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 12 2012

Frida Kahlo contracted polio at the age of 6. Undeterred, she went on to have an active childhood and adolescence. After a tragic accident left her bedridden for more than three months, she began to pursue painting and politics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 07 2012

The Brontë sisters are considered some of the best writers of the 19th century but their past may surprise you. Join Sarah and Deblina as they discuss the sisters' childhood tragedies, unconventional educations and their imaginary worlds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 05 2012

Mary Anning started hunting for fossils in Lyme Regis in the early 1800s. Around 1811, she uncovered the complete skeleton of an ichthyosaurus. She made several significant contributions to paleontology, so why didn't she always get credit for her work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 29 2012

Evliya Çelebi grew up in 17th century Istanbul as the "boon companion" of Sultan Murad IV. In his 20s, Evliya had a prophetic dream and spent decades traveling. During his travels he wrote the Seyahatname, one of history's important travel narratives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 27 2012

Hans Christian Andersen is often considered the father of the modern fairy tale, but his life was not the quiet existence depicted in his photos. His personal life is fairly bizarre, and he is sometimes compared to his own outcast fairy tale figures. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 22 2012

Bessie Coleman knew that becoming a pilot was her dream. Because she was a black woman, no American flight schools would admit her. Despite the obstacles, Bessie managed to become the first African-American woman in the world to earn a pilot's license. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 20 2012

A 1792 law prevented African Americans from taking up arms in the Civil War. As attitudes against blacks serving changed, black regiments were formed. But prejudices remained until the heroism of black soldiers won the attention of the nation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 15 2012

Robert Browning's early work wasn't as well-received as Elizabeth Barrett's poetry. Yet Barrett mentioned his work in one of her poems, and they started a correspondence that blossomed into love. However, Elizabeth's father remained an obstacle. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 13 2012

The Lone Ranger has traditionally been portrayed by white actors, but many believe this character is based on an African-American named Bass Reeves. A former slave, Reeves became one of the most successful lawmen in U.S. history. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 08 2012

Most people know the story of President Lincoln's assassination, but what happened afterward? In this podcast, we cover John Wilkes Booth's escape, his co-conspirators' attacks against other officials and the strange connections between Booth and Lincoln. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 06 2012

During Jack Johnson's time, the heavyweight championship was unofficially a whites-only title. Despite discrimination, he fought title-holder Tommy Burns in 1908. Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion, but some questioned his legitimacy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 01 2012

By the early 19th century, the Dutch controlled of most of the East Indies. Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles fought to oust the Dutch from the area. He also tried to enact radical reforms in Java, but he was fired by British East India Company. Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 30 2012

The warrior queen Nzinga used wily tactics to maintain her kingdom's independence during colonization. Born in the Ndongo Kingdom, Nzinga staged a coup, harbored runaway slaves, and kept a harem of men. Tune in to learn more about queen Nzinga. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 25 2012

In the first part of this episode, Deblina and Sarah covered Herman W. Mudgett's early life, including how he first became known as H.H. Holmes. But how did Holmes manage to complete his murder castle? What happened to him afterwards? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 23 2012

As a student, Herman W. Mudgett used corpses to commit insurance fraud. In 1886, he moved to Chicago under the alias H.H. Holmes. In 1888, Holmes started constructing a building with secret passageways and an airtight vault. So, what was it for? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 18 2012

Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen was an expert skier, zoologist and artist: By combining these skills, he became one of Norway's earliest heroes. Listen in as Deblina and Sarah look at the life and times of Fridtjof Nansen in the second part of this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 16 2012

Fridtjof Nansen was an artist, skier, zoologist and one of Norway's earliest heroes. The first part of this episode covers his early adventures, while part two covers his humanitarian career. Tune in to learn more about his first major expeditions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 11 2012

When we last left the story of W.C. Minor, he'd fatally shot a man in London. In the conclusion of this episode, Sarah and Deblina look at the events that led Minor to become one of the Oxford English Dictionary's most prolific contributors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 09 2012

For every Al Capone, there was a cast of lesser-known men who were often just as dangerous. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina explore the lives of gangsters such as "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn and Roger "The Terrible" Touhy. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 04 2012

In 1991, two hikers in the Alps found a mysterious body. The frozen mummy turned out to be a 5,300-year-old man -- a discovery that's given researchers an unprecedented peek into the Copper Age. Tune in to learn more about the Iceman. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 02 2012

In the first part of this episode, we look at the early days of William Chester Minor. Minor originally studied medicine and served and practiced surgery in the Union Army. Eventually he was committed to a hospital for the insane. But what happened next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 28 2011

In part two of this episode, we continue to uncover some of the most interesting historical discoveries of 2011, from the world's oldest winery to France's oldest brewery. Tune in to learn more about the biggest historical discoveries of 2011. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 26 2011

In this two-part episode, we take a look at some of the most interesting historical finds of 2011, from one of Captain Henry Morgan's pirate ships to a rare portrait of Jane Austen discovered by British author Dr. Paula Byrne. Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 21 2011

During the first Christmas of World War I, British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and celebrated the holiday together. They sang carols, traded insignia and buried their dead. How did the truce start, and why didn't it happen again? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 19 2011

The Halifax Explosion was one of history's worst man-made, non-nuclear explosions. The disaster killed about 2,000 people, and part of the city was completely leveled. So how and when did Halifax begin to rebuild? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 14 2011

The men who are usually credited with discerning DNA's structure won the Nobel Prize in 1962, but they used Rosalind Franklin's research. In 1952, she captured the best DNA image available at the time, and the Nobel winners used it without her knowledge. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 12 2011

Fritz Haber has a mixed legacy. The Nobel-Prize-winning Father of Chemical Warfare was responsible for fertilizers that fed billions, as well as poisonous gasses used during World War I. Tune in to learn more about Fritz's complicated life and work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 07 2011

Women weren't initially welcome in the Civil War armies, but thousands eventually ended up serving as nurses. We feature five here. Listen in to learn about nurses like Sally Louisa Tompkins, whose hospital became one of the most successful of the war. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 05 2011

John Dillinger robbery career began when he was paroled in 1933. Several escaped inmates joined Dillinger, and they were arrested in 1934. Dillinger escaped, but was gunned down in July. To this day, conspiracy theories abound about his death. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 30 2011

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, is often considered the public's "favorite" member of the Habsburgs. She only reluctantly carried out her duties, but her murder created an outcry across Europe -- and the story doesn't end there. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 28 2011

In the 19th century, Alphonse Bertillon standardized the mug shot and came up with a system of organizing police records; he also conceived a new way of identifying people. Tune in to learn more about the rise -- and fall -- of Bertillon's system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 23 2011

As a Confederate surgeon, Dr. MacGuire's first assignment was under the command of Lieutenant General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, who became his most famous patient. Tune in to learn what McGuire's writings reveal about Stonewall's last days. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 21 2011

Polio was a terrifying threat in the early 20th century: It often left victims paralyzed or dead. Yet two vaccines caused an immediate drop in polio cases and today they've nearly eradicated the disease. But what exactly happened? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 16 2011

Today, Vincent van Gogh has come to fit our idea of the tortured artist. Aside from his art, he's best known for cutting off his ear and committing suicide. Yet new research debates both of these van Gogh moments. Listen in to learn more about van Gogh. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 14 2011

For a time, Mexico was ruled by a Habsburg prince: Ferdinand Maximilian. While Maximilian was unwelcome, he upheld liberal reforms and modernized the government. As his support dwindled, Mexico's rightful president worked to take back the country. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 09 2011

In Part 2 of The Gunpowder Plot, we discuss how a group of English Catholics attempted to carry out their plan. Yet the Plot was discovered days before the event. Were the conspirators betrayed by someone within their own ranks? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 07 2011

In part two of this interview series, Dr. Holly Tucker discusses the research methods behind her new book, "Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution." Listen in to learn more about the controversial history of transfusions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 02 2011

Under Queen Elizabeth I, English Catholics were subject to discriminatory laws. When King James I took the throne, Catholics unsuccessfully petitioned him for toleration. Tune in to learn how this led a group of Catholics to attempt regicide. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 31 2011

In part one of a special author interview, Dr. Holly Tucker talks about her new book, "Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution." Tune in to learn more about the startling history of blood transfusion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 26 2011

When the Civil War began, Mary Edwards Walker sought work as a surgeon. When the Union refused to give her an appointment, she worked as a volunteer. She became the first woman to win a Medal of Honor. Tune in to learn more about Mary Edwards Walker. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 24 2011

Many think of alchemy as a fool's pursuit, but alchemy has a rich history closely tied to medicine and metallurgy. Additionally, techniques developed by alchemists strongly influenced chemistry. So how come we don't call chemistry alchemy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 19 2011

It's no secret that Mary Shelley's infamous novel has influenced generations of writers, but is completely based on fiction, or was Shelley inspired by real-life events? Tune in to learn more about the real Dr. Frankenstein. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 17 2011

In 897, Pope Stephen VI had his deceased predecessor Formosus exhumed and put on trial. The corpse was found guilty, but this desecration disgusted Romans and made them rebel. Tune in to learn more about the period known as the Papal Pornocracy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 12 2011

In 1848, the Fox family began hearing strange noises, and sisters Maggie and Kate started communicating with spirits. They built a career as mediums, and today they're credited with launching the modern spiritualist movement. But was it all a hoax? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 10 2011

When Japan invaded Korea in 1592, the Korean forces were unprepared for Japan's troops. The Korean navy, however, was a different story. Commanding Admiral Yi Sun-sin repeatedly defeated the Japanese. But was it enough to end the war? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 05 2011

Born in 1527 to a Welsh family, John Dee grew to become one of Queen Elizabeth's most memorable advisors. Join Sarah and Deblina as they delve into the life and times of this scholar, statesman and sorcerer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 03 2011

In 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines flight 305. He received a ransom of $200,000 -- and then jumped out in midair. Over the years, the FBI has searched for Cooper with little luck. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 28 2011

In 1908, a fire leveled the Indiana home of Belle Gunness. Four bodies were found in the cellar, and it seemed possible that Gunnes might have escaped. When about a dozen more bodies were found, Gunness was revealed as a serial killer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 26 2011

The final part of this series takes place in Australia, where students were inspired by the Freedom Rides and protested discrimination against Aboriginal Australians. Tune in to learn how the group tried to break down racial barriers and empower local Aborigines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 21 2011

After 1853, many bushrangers were native-born. Ben Hall seemed on track for a peaceful life until two wrongful arrests put him on different path. And then there's "Mad" Dan Morgan. who was known for meaningless murders, cruelty and violence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 19 2011

When Nashville college students picked up where CORE riders stopped, they were eventually incarcerated in Mississippi. Yet more riders kept coming. Tune in to learn more about this major victory for the Civil Rights movement in this follow-up episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 14 2011

While Ned Kelly may be the most famous bushranger, he's certainly not the only one. Join Deblina and Sarah as they explore the lives of early bush rangers in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 12 2011

In 1961, buses and terminals in the South were illegally segregated. The Civil Rights group CORE sent riders to test the law, riding from D.C., to New Orleans. However, no one was prepared for the violence that waited in Alabama. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 07 2011

Between in 1917, hundreds of women got jobs applying radium-treated paint to various products. Many experienced severe health problems. Five former workers decided to sue the U.S. Radium corporation, and faced a campaign of misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 05 2011

Dogs have been used in war for a long time and are still used today. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina look at five war dogs known for their strength, loyalty and intelligence. Tune in to learn more about war dogs from World War I through Vietnam. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 31 2011

The second episode of this two-part podcast covers historic alcohol that's still (mostly) drinkable. Tune in to learn more about the world's oldest Champagne, a bottle of beer from the Hindenburg, and whisky from the failed Endurance expedition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 29 2011

Timur the Lame (that's Tamerlane to the Westerners) conquered areas from Persia to Russia throughout the late 1300s. His last great battle was in Ankara against Sultan Bayezid I. But how exactly did he gain the upper hand? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 24 2011

Ancient alcohol can tell us a lot about a society. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina cover millennia-old residues left behind in Chinese pottery, Egyptian jars and more. They also explore the science behind identifying the ingredients of these brews. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 22 2011

In 1120, the heir to the throne, three of the king's other children, and many of the kingdom's youths drowned at sea. This left a woman named Matilda as heir. Yet her cousin Stephen seized the prize, triggering 19 years of battle called "The Anarchy." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 17 2011

Historical hoaxes are surprisingly common. For example, a N.Y. cigar maker once commissioned a gypsum skeleton to pass off as a 10-foot-tall petrified man called the Cardiff Giant. Join Deblina and Sarah as they explore history's most successful hoaxes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 15 2011

In 1938, Orson Welles produced a series of radio dramas, including one based on "War of the Worlds." The broadcast aired the night before Halloween and purportedly caused a mass panic. But why did listeners believe the show was real? (And how much of the panic was hype?) Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 10 2011

Nikolai Vavilov traveled to 64 countries gathering seeds and plants and established the first seed bank. Stalin had the botanist sentenced to death, but his seed bank endured: Other scientists guarded the stores from rats, starving Russians and the Nazis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 08 2011

In the second portion of their interview with author David McCullough, Sarah and Deblina, focus specifically on their favorite parts of his new book "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris." Tune in to learn more about McCullough's research process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 03 2011

In 1913, 13-year-old Atlanta factory worker Mary Phagan stopped in for her pay -- and was never seen alive again. Authorities charged Jewish superintendent Leo M. Frank with murder. But did Frank kill Mary Phagan, or was he framed? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 01 2011

An acclaimed African-American contralto, Marian Anderson was barred from singing in Constitution Hall in 1939. She sang at the Lincoln Memorial instead. The concert was broadcast around the country -- and also heard by a young Martin Luther King, Jr. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 27 2011

The Bayeux Tapestry is considered the one of the most important images of the Medieval Age. It's a stunning piece of art, and it covers a crucial event in Western history: The Norman Conquest of Britain. Tune in to learn more about the Bayeux Tapestry. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 25 2011

The false Dmitriy was actually one of three imposters claiming to be the son of Ivan the Terrible. So what made his story seem more believable to the Russian populace? Join Sarah and Deblina as they examine the curious tale of the False Dmitriy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 20 2011

Carthage was a trading hub of the ancient world, challenging the budding Roman Republic. In 264 B.C., Rome and Carthage began the Punic Wars, which continued for more than a century. Tune in to learn more about the rise -- and fall -- of Carthage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 18 2011

In the 1830s, James Brooke sailed toward the Malay Archipelago and ended up becoming the Rajah of Sarawak. Brooke governed Sarawak until the 1860s and made several beneficial reforms. But what happened next? Join Sarah and Deblina to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 13 2011

After her father died, Elizabeth Van Lew freed the family slaves, including a girl named Mary. When the Civil War began, sources say Mary became an agent in Van Lew's "Richmond Ring." Join Sarah and Deblina to learn more about Civil War spies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 11 2011

In the late 1600s, a financier tried to start a Scottish colony in Panama. Despite English roadblocks, the Scots successfully raised funding. But the expedition faced disease, death and poor trade, taking down the settlers -- and, ultimately, Scotland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 06 2011

She's one of Britain's best-loved queens, but Victoria's parentage made her an unlikely heir. When she became queen at 18, she rebelled from her upbringing. But an early marriage to her cousin Albert changed the way she lived and ruled. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jul 04 2011

Belle Boyd got her start as a spy in Martinsburg, Virginia, at the age of 17. In 1862, the "Cleopatra of the Secession" obtained - and risked her life to deliver -- information that may have been pivotal to the outcome of the Battle of Front Royal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 29 2011

Riots are a distressingly common part of human history, and the strangest events can trigger widespread violence. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah take a closer look at one of history's strangest riots. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 27 2011

Allan Pinkerton fell into detective work when he discovered a gang of counterfeiters in Illinois. In 1861, he helped thwart a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, which may have led Lincoln to later tap Pinkerton to organize the first Union espionage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 22 2011

Alan Turing, conceived of computers decades before anyone was building one. He also acted as a top-secret code breaker during World War II. Despite his accomplishments, he was prosecuted as a homosexual by the British government. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 20 2011

Bushrangers, a type of bandit, troubled Australia until the late 1800s. Ned Kelly, the most famous bushranger, became an outlaw in 1878, and his gang successfully conducted several raids. Tune in to learn why many Australians think of him as a folk hero. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 15 2011

Recently deceased heiress Huguette Clark was reclusive -- she hadn't been photographed since 1930. Her father was the wealthy William Andrews Clark, whose political battles started the War of the Copper Kings. Tune in to learn more about the Clark family. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 13 2011

In 1850, James Strang was crowned king of Michigan's Beaver Island. He got the opportunity to lead after meeting Joseph Smith and converting to Mormonism. After Smith's death, Strang tried to step in as his successor. Tune in to learn what happened next. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 08 2011

Most people have heard of great South and Central American empires, but Mississippian civilizations are more obscure. At its peak, the Mississippian city known as Cahokia was bigger than London. So how did it get so big -- and why was it abandoned? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 06 2011

Bobby Fischer called Paul Morphy "the greatest chess genius in history," By age 20, he earned recognition as America's best player after winning the nation's first chess championship tournament in 1857. So why did his career end after only two years? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jun 01 2011

When a mysterious woman sporting a turban showed up in England, people took her for a foreign beggar. But she claimed to be a princess who had been kidnapped by pirates! Eventually, however, the truth proved stranger than fiction. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 30 2011

After covering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Deblina and Sarah return to the topic of disastrous fires in history. Listen in as they recount some of history's most famous fires, comparing and contrasting the factors leading to these catastrophes. Including the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Fire of London, the Great Fire of Meireki, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 25 2011

In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough discusses his book "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris," which follows the experiences of American expats in the French capital. Tune in to learn more about McCullough's work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 23 2011

Queen Victoria loved two men: Prince Albert, and after his death, her servant, John Brown. Late in life, the Queen had a third partner, a Muslim man named Abdul Karim. So why did Victoria's children want the records of this relationship destroyed? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 18 2011

In the early 1900s, New York City's Triangle Shirtwaist factory was one of the largest blouse factories in the city. It was also incredibly unsafe. Learn how a fire at this factory triggered a national change in attitudes surrounding workplace safety. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 16 2011

The German battleship Bismarck was the most feared warship in the world - a powerful complement to U-boats. But when she sank the pride of the British fleet, the battle cruiser Hood, in a matter of minutes, her fate was sealed. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 11 2011

In the late 1800s, no one really monitored food additives. After Congress refused to regulate food safety, Harvey Wiley had groups of healthy men ingest poisons for six months. Tune in to learn how these "Poison Squads" shed new light on Wiley's cause. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 09 2011

It's the three-hundredth episode of your favorite history podcast, and what better way to celebrate than to take a closer look at real story behind the blockbuster film 300? Listen in and learn more in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 04 2011

In this all-listener-suggested episode, Deblina and Sarah take a look at why four different warships from around the world went down, and why they were built In the first place. Tune in to learn if your suggestion made it on the airwaves. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

May 02 2011

Jimmy Winkfield won the Kentucky Derby twice, and he was also the last African-American jockey to win the race. Winkfield moved abroad in 1904 to continue his career, but it wasn't until 2005 that Congress honored his work. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 27 2011

From the sinking of Black Sam's Wydah to the Medusa's disastrous accident off the African coast, history is rife with tales of shipwrecks. Listen in as Sarah and Deblina as they discuss the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Mary Rose, the Medusa, the Vrouw Maria and the Whydah. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 25 2011

Although Madame Tussaud's museum is world-famous, the story of Marie Tussaud herself is less well-known. So who exactly was she, and how did she create one of the world's most popular museums? Tune in and learn more in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 20 2011

This year, Prince William and Kate Middleton will be getting married at Westminster Abbey. Listen in to learn more about royal weddings as Sarah and Deblina travel through the centuries to look at the Abbey's connections to the crown and to the Windsors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 18 2011

On March 1, 1932, 20-month-old Charles Augustus Lindberg Jr. disappeared. The kidnappers left several clues at the crime scene, authorities eventually made an arrest and a trial ensued -- but some still wonder whether the right person was convicted. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 13 2011

In 1695, Alexander Selkirk ran away and joined a band of buccaneers. In 1704, after a fight with his captain, Selkirk was put ashore on an uninhabited island about 400 miles west of Valparaiso. Tune in to learn more about the real-life Robinson Crusoe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 11 2011

To recruit troops for the U.S. Civil War, the Federal Congress passed the Union Conscription Act in 1863, which drafted able-bodied men between the ages of 20 and 45. Needless to say, this didn't go over well in New York. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 06 2011

In 1839, Africans held captive by slavers revolted and ordered the Amistad's crew to return to Africa. However, the ship was captured in Long Island and the slaves were put on trial -- but that's not the end of the story. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Apr 04 2011

In 1848, a preacher named John Humphrey Noyse founded the Oneida community. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the rise and fall of the Oneida community -- including its focus on shared labor, gender equality and free love. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 30 2011

Amazons are a well-known element of mythology, but are there any historical figures that could be considered real-life Amazons? Listen in as Deblina and Sarah traverse the globe to find five examples of historical Amazons. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 28 2011

In 1872, the Equal Rights Party nominated Victoria Woodhull for president, but her radical views and an personal scandal caused her to lose many supporters. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina recount the life of the first woman to run for U.S. president. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 23 2011

David Livingstone was a missionary working in Africa, and for six years he lost contact with the western world. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the adventures of Livingstone and Henry Stanley, the journalist who found Livingstone in Africa. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 21 2011

Lakshmi Bai was born into wealthy family in 1830, but she was far from the typical aristocrat. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the life and work of Lakshmi Bai, from her youth to her instrumental role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 16 2011

Lambert Simnel was born into a humble position, but over the course of his life he became both a pretender to the throne and an imposter. Tune in to learn how this young man was used as a pawn in this story of classic royal intrigue. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 14 2011

Since its publication in 1934, The Little Prince has become one of the world's most well-known children's books -- and the story of its author, Antoine de Saint-Éxupery, is almost as extraordinary. Tune in to learn more about the life -- and disappearance -- of this author. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 09 2011

When people think of pirates, they usually picture male, western scoundrels flouting the law throughout the Caribbean. However, piracy is not a solely western pursuit. Listen in as Deblina and Sarah recount the exploits of pirates in the South China Sea. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 07 2011

Michelangelo da Caravaggio may not be as well-known as Leonardo da Vinci, but this amazing painter has been receiving more and more attention in recent times. Why? Listen in as Deblina and Sarah explore the controversial life of Caravaggio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mar 02 2011

Mardi Gras has been a legal holiday in New Orleans since 1875, and the annual Fat Tuesday celebration has become a legendary part of the city's culture. But which Mardi Gras celebration was the best? Listen in as Deblina and Sarah explore Mardi Gras. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 28 2011

Often, when people discuss America's first black female millionaire, they're talking about a women named Sarah Breedlove Walker, also known as Madame C.J. Walker. But someone else, another Sarah in fact, may have beaten her. A black girl named Sarah Rector became a millionaire in 1911 or 1912, when she was only 10 years old. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 23 2011

In September of 1739, a slave rebellion shook the foundations of the colony in South Carolina. But how did it happen? Tune in to learn more about the factors leading to the Stono rebellion, as well as its long-term effects. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 21 2011

Some historians think Phillip V of Spain was mad, but why? Listen in as Sarah and Deblina recount the strange rule of Phillip V, who abdicated the throne for several months in 1724. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 16 2011

When Ellen and her husband William made their escape from a life of slavery in Georgia, they traversed over 1,000 miles to reach freedom. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the astonishing journey of the Craft family. Tune in and learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 14 2011

During Prohibition, the US was awash in booze-fueled crime. Gangsters feuded savagely to control their turf, especially in Chicago. On Feb. 14th, 1929, these rivalries culminated in one of America's most notorious unsolved crimes. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 09 2011

The story of the House of Bourbon is pretty complicated. Luckily, Deblina and Sarah are here to examine the web of people and events leading to the fall of the House. Tune in and learn more about Henri, comte de Chambord, the last French Bourbon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 07 2011

A funny thing happened to the Dutch during the 17th century: They went nuts for tulips, paying exorbitant amounts for a single bulb. But what exactly triggered this commodity bubble? And what do revisionist historians have to say? Tune in and find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Feb 02 2011

Haile Selassie wasn't just the last emperor of Ethiopia -- he is also hailed as a messiah. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah explore the astonishing life of Haile Selassie. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 31 2011

From Marlon Brando to Harry Houdini, it's common knowledge that performers are uniquely gifted -- but several have also gained reputations as gifted inventors. Tune in to learn more about five of history's most unlikely inventors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 26 2011

Madame de Pompadour was born in Paris in 1721, and eventually became the mistress of King Louis XV. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah describe Madame de Pompadour's rise to power. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 24 2011

Also known as the Northern War, Hone Heke's Rebellion took place between in New Zealand over the course of 1845 and 1846. In this podcast, Sarah and Deblina recount the events leading up to the war -- as well as the consequences of Heke's actions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 19 2011

From hemlock to cyanide, poison has unfortunately played an integral part in many of history's great sagas, But in 17th-century France, the scandal over poisoning reached an unprecedented level. Tune in and learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 17 2011

Driven by visions of unimaginable riches, Spanish explorers subjugated the cultures of South America and exploit the resources for their masters in Europe. Chief among these visions was the hallowed El Dorado, or the City of Gold. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 12 2011

Hedy Lamarr was an extraordinarily beautiful film star, but she wasn't just another pretty face. In this podcast, Sarah and Deblina recount Hedy's biography and her little-known career as an inventor. Tune in to learn more about Hedy Lamarr. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 10 2011

Cardinal Richelieu wielded tremendous political power, but he also made more than a few enemies. Would they seek revenge in his later years? In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the last years of Cardinal Richelieu Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 05 2011

As one of the most influential writers in the English language, Shakespeare is typically associated with cultural sophistication rather than violent bouts of near-anarchy. But this wasn't the case during the Astor Place Riot. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jan 03 2011

A man of many appellations -- Henry the Great, the Green Gallant -- King Henry IV was a very popular French royal . In this episode, Sarah and Deblina explore the controversial life and reign of Henry of Bourbon, including the surprising fate of his head. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 29 2010

Over the past 12 months, experts have been hard at work hunting down hard evidence of times, places and people lost in the course of history. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina recount 5 of the most important historical finds of 2010. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 28 2010

Talk about making an impression: When emperor Mansa Musa went on a pilgramage from Timbuktu to Mecca, he gave away so much gold that he crashed the gold market in Cairo. Tune in and learn more about Musa and Timbuktu in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 22 2010

Oliver Cromwell was a Puritan, military leader and powerful politician in the 17th-century Parliament, but nowadays he's also known as an inveterate grinch. How did he get this reputation -- and, more importantly, did he deserve it? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 20 2010

During the Tong Dynasty, Chinese women were often treated as second-class citizens. This made the rise of Empress Wu even more extraordinary. But did her work have a lasting effect? Learn more about how -- or if -- Empress Wu permanently changed China. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 15 2010

Although most people are familiar with gladiators, movies have skewed popular understanding of these fighters. So how can we separate the fact from the fiction? Tune in to learn how gladiator graveyards have changed the way we regard gladiators today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 13 2010

The study of the heavens is one of humanity's oldest pursuits, and it's still a work in progress. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah explore the details of five amazing astronomical discoveries, beginning with the work of Copernicus. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 08 2010

In 2008, the Aurora Trust began a survey around an island named Ventotone, off the coast of Naples. They found an astonishing group of Roman shipwrecks, and they also found a mystery. How did all these ships sink so close together? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 06 2010

Tycho Brahe is hailed as an influential astronomer, but why? Tune in and learn how this groundbreaking astronomer lost his nose, built the world's first observatory and met with an untimely demise in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dec 01 2010

Christopher Marlowe was one of the most talented writers of the Elizabethan era, but his career was cut short when he was stabbed to death at the age of 29. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah take a closer look at the mystery surrounding Marlowe's death. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 29 2010

Exile is never a pleasant experience, and meting it out on a family member is positively brutal. So what could drive Augustus to exile his own daughter? Tune in and find out -- the answer might surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 24 2010

Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't the first person to write a mystery novel, but his focus on scientific methods and brilliant protagonist made the stories of Sherlock Holmes world-famous. Yet is Sherlock Holmes based on a real person? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 22 2010

In addition to being the first Asian Nobel laureate, the multitalented Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore was known for his political influence. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina trace the life of Tagore through his childhood to knighthood and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 17 2010

With four acres of floor space and over thirty bedrooms, the opulent Biltmore Estate occupies a unique place in the history of the United States. In this episode, Candace and Sarah trace the history of the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent estate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 15 2010

The hit show "Lost" is replete with historical name-dropping, but who are all these people mentioned in the show? In this episode, our resident history buffs crack the case and track down some of the historical names used in "Lost." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 10 2010

History is full of astonishing events, and the history of marriage is no exception. Listen in as Sarah and our special guest, Candace, explore five of the most show-stopping, opulent weddings in history, including Charles and Diana, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, Louis XIV, and Victoria and Albert. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 08 2010

During the golden age of Caribbean piracy, people from all walks of life set sail in search of gold. Yet you may be surprised to hear that some of the pirates were Sephardic Jews. Tune in and learn more about the lives of Jewish pirates. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 03 2010

Roxelana has one of the strangest rags-to-riches stories in history. As a slave who entered Suleyman's harem and rose through the ranks to become the wife of the Sultan, Roxelana became a symbol of the Ottoman empire. Tune in to learn more about Roxelana. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nov 01 2010

In the early 8th century, Moors occupied most of the Iberian peninsula. During the Reconquista, Christians rallied to conquer the land. Listen in and learn more about this epic conflict, which spans some of the most formative times in Spanish history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 27 2010

Today, Franz Mesmer is hailed as the father of hypnosis. His original pursuit was called mesmerism, but what exactly was it? How did it (supposedly) work? Listen in as Sarah and Katie explore the strange theories of Franz Mesmer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 25 2010

Did Tycho Brahe really own a moose with a drinking problem? Did a U.S. President keep a pet alligator? Tune in as Katie and Sarah take a look at some of history's strangest pets (and their equally bizarre owners). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 20 2010

Nowadays marathons are a popular pastime for health buffs across the world, but how did they get started? The origins of the marathon date back to the fifth century B.C., when Greeks depended on messengers to carry news. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 18 2010

Most people are familiar with Jack the Ripper, but Victorian England was also plagued by an odd character named Spring-Heeled Jack. Were reports of this bounding scoundrel a symptom of mass hysteria, or something factual? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 13 2010

History is full of astonishing stories, and not all of them revolve around humans. In the first part of this two-part series, Katie and Sarah cover five of history's most memorable animals. Listen in to learn more about historical animals. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 11 2010

Some actors believe it's bad luck to say 'Macbeth' in the theater unless the play is being performed -- but why? In this episode, Katie and Sarah explore the origins of the Macbeth curse and the life of the historical Macbeth. (And, an important note: The error regarding "Our American Cousin" and Abraham Lincoln has already been corrected in the episode He Was Killed By Mesmerism.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 06 2010

Nowadays chocolate is popular across the world, but it got its start thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica, where it was much more than a mere sweet or ingredient in desserts. Learn more about the history of chocolate in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Oct 04 2010

In 1892, Abby Borden was brutally murdered in her home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter her husband Andrew Borden was also murdered, and his daughter Lizzie Borden was the primary suspect. But why was she acquitted? Tune in and learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 29 2010

When Dante wrote The Divine Comedy, he consigned several of his real-life enemies to hell. In this podcast, Katie and Sarah examine Dante's habit of putting his enemies in his fiction, focusing on five people the average Florentine would have known. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 27 2010

Although Herman Melville's opus is a work of fiction, it was inspired by real-life events. In this episode, Katie and Sarah explore the story of the real-life Moby Dick -- and the unfortunate vessel that encountered it in the Pacific. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 22 2010

When Scott and Amundsen launched rival expeditions to the South Pole, they knew that only one group could be the first to reach the pole. Each believed his strategy would prevail, but which explorer won? Tune in and learn more in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 20 2010

The Koh-i-noor diamond has a long, storied history -- and a reputation for bringing trouble to its (male) owners. In this episode, Katie and Sarah trace the adventures of the infamous diamond, from its Indian origins to its final resting place in Britain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 15 2010

When Egyptologists studied King Tutankhamen's DNA, they learned some surprising things: In addition to being disabled, the king was inbred. And this is just the beginning. Learn more about the real King Tut -- and where he came from -- in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 13 2010

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in December of 1791, bringing his profound career to an untimely end. But how exactly did he die? Join Katie and Sarah as they examine the life of Mozart -- and the questions surrounding his death -- in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 08 2010

Sir Roger Mortimer is known as the "greatest traitor," but why? Sarah and Katie explore the life and times of Sir Mortimer in this episode, from his early conflicts, his successful rebellion against Edward II, and his ignominious end. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 06 2010

During the Middle Ages, thousands of faithful Catholics believed in the story of a female pope named Joan. But is there any evidence for this story -- not to mention the other stories that grew from the original tale? Listen in and learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sep 01 2010

When Napoleon planned a secret mission to Egypt, he authorized three men to create a Commission of Sciences and Arts. However, the commission's 151 members soon learned the mission wasn't what they'd expected. Tune in and learn more in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 30 2010

The Trung sisters were daughters of a Vietnamese lord in the first century, when Vietnam was occupied by the Han Dynasty. Listen in and learn how these remarkable leaders fought to free their kingdom and why they remain highly revered in Vietnam today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 25 2010

Today, Richard I -- better known as Richard the Lionheart -- is an iconic, legendary figure in European history. But how did he become "the Lionheart" in the first place? Tune in and learn more about Richard I in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 23 2010

It gets lonely at the top, and even larger-than-life monarchs like Catherine the Great needed a bit of romance now and then. Tune in and learn more about Catherine's lovers -- and if she ever found the true love she was looking for -- in this podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 18 2010

In 1798 Napoleon decided to launch an expedition to Egypt instead of leading a direct attack on England -- but why? In this episode, Katie and Sarah explore the Battle of the Pyramids (Napoleon himself came up with the title). Tune in and learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Aug 16 2010

It didn't take long for America to romanticize cowboys. Even after most cowboys gave up their spurs, Wild West shows captivated audiences across the country. Tune in and learn more about the stars of Wild W